This is what 100k in cash looks like:

It’s not that tricky to fit all that in an ATM. ATMs are built to be difficult to remove and get open but with the right tools anything that can be closed can also be opened. The trick is to do that without damaging the bills inside, which I imagine the news wouldn’t report on

I used to work for a company in Australia that packed ATMs. A busy ATM stocked with 50s and 20s usually would hold $340k. We also packed some for a casino that held 100s and 50s and they were often packed with $650k.

I have asked my bank just a few days ago if I can withdraw 10k at once. They raised my limit accordingly and said it is no problem at all with the ATM.

Yes…yeeees… Tell me how to get into one so I can ensure don’t accidentally do it…

A lot of ATMs only get refilled once a week. That’s a lot of possible withdrawals.

A few years back there was a gang of criminals that used explosives to breach ATMs in the area I live. They had quite the spree, about one a week I recall.

Most of the places just stopped having ATMs. There’s less than halve remaining, I’d estimate.

40k what? Euros, US dollars, pesos, Czech koruna, Ukrainian hryvnia, rubles, Australian dollars, pound sterling?

In my country (in the eurozone), at most ATMs I see, the limit of what I can withdraw at once is € 400 (and I usually do withdraw that much so I do not have to withdraw very often). So € 40000 is enough for 100 people to withdraw their maximum between refillings. 100 people isn’t a lot, certainly not in busy locations.

Someone else posted a picture of USD 100000 in cash which gives you an idea of the volume.

Euros are approximately equal in value to US dollars for those who do not know this and have an idea what US dollars are worth.

So when can we expect the orcs?

Some ATMs support deposits. Also it’s possible the 40k is not from a physical breach but a skimmer stealing PINs.

I saw a video of people ripping ATMs out with trucks too

Rough math wise and ATM can easily hold $40k. That’s 8.6 inches of $20 bills, it might be a mostly full ATM, but a believable amount.

As for how easy it is to break into an ATM, it’s not easy, but it’s not impossible. They are designed to be serviceable by a single person, so the doors and locks while strong, aren’t going to hold up to the force of a vehicle or explosives from someone that knows what they are doing. The hard part is removing the cash box, which depending on the machine it can be easier to take the whole machine. Once you get the machine/box to a second location the security is irrelevant.