MADRID, Nov 12 (Reuters) – Spanish police are investigating the theft of a ‘bitcoin ATM’ in a raid on a cryptocurrency alternate outlet in a rich Barcelona neighbourhood, native media reported on Friday.
Bitcoin ATMs enable clients to buy cryptocurrency utilizing money or a debit card, whereas some additionally let customers to alternate their crypto holdings for money.
In keeping with knowledge from the Coin ATM radar web site, which tracks the placement of crypto ATMs, Spain has 158 such machines, the best quantity in Europe.
Catalonia’s Mossos d’Esquadra police drive stated an ATM had been stolen at round 3 a.m. and declined to supply any extra info to keep away from hindering the investigation.
Citing police sources, EFE information company stated thieves took the bitcoin ATM from a store on Beethoven road within the Sarria space, residence to a department of the GBTC cryptocurrency alternate.
GBTC didn’t return a number of requests for remark and the police declined to substantiate the precise location of the theft.
An unverified video purporting to point out the crime confirmed an SUV ramming into the closed shutters of the GBTC storefront earlier than half a dozen or so folks in hoods carried the money machine right into a second automobile ready on the road.
One of many assailants sprayed a hearth extinguisher at onlookers as the 2 vehicles sped off into the night time.
Reporting by Nathan Allen; Enhancing by Toby Chopra
Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
