Australian police have successfully dismantled a crime syndicate accused of conducting a series of thefts from six cryptocurrency ATMs, as well as raids on collectible card stores across Melbourne’s northwest. Seizures included approximately 50,000 AUD ($31,800) in trading cards and multiple firearms.
Victoria Police’s North West Metro Regional Crime Squad announced the arrests of four individuals over the past week. The police discovered an array of stolen items, which they likened to an “Aladdin’s cave”, featuring Pokémon, Disney Lorcana, Yu-Gi-Oh, Magic the Gathering, Dragon Ball Z, AFL, and NBA trading cards.
The emergence of this case occurs as Australia’s cryptocurrency ATM market expands, now ranking as the world’s third-largest. Data from TRM Labs indicates that installations have surged by 17 times since 2022. While the United States still leads with nearly 32,000 Bitcoin and crypto ATMs, the cash-to-crypto industry has handled at least $160 million in illegal volumes since 2019, as per TRM Labs research.
The crime syndicate allegedly focused their efforts on crypto ATMs located in businesses in Hoppers Crossing, Bentleigh, Brunswick, Werribee, and Vermont. They are also accused of burglarizing collectible card stores in Epping, Moonee Ponds, and Eumemmerring since mid-January.
In their investigation, police executed warrants in Reservoir, Coburg North, Greensborough, and South Morang, leading to the seizure of five suspected stolen firearms, approximately 100 suspected stolen car keys, ammunition, and a pill press machine.
The two main suspects, a 37-year-old man from Reservoir and a 32-year-old man from Epping, face multiple charges. These include 14 counts of burglary and firearm offenses for the former, and commercial burglaries, vehicle theft, and methamphetamine possession for the latter.
Detective Inspector Patrick Watkinson attributed the success of the operation to the vigilance of the trading card community and industry partners. He explained that the police had identified links between the apprehended offenders and Middle Eastern organized crime syndicates. Two additional suspects, aged 33 and 46, were released, pending further investigations.
Watkinson offered a stern warning to those considering similar criminal activities, stating, “Paying others to do your dirty work won’t keep you hidden.” This case underscores the growing challenges law enforcement faces in combating crime in the digital age, where traditional and digital forms of theft can intersect with alarming consequences.
