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Crime Syndicate Dismantled
Australian police have taken down an organized crime group accused of stealing from six crypto ATMs and robbing collectible card stores across Melbourne’s northwest. Authorities seized around 50,000 AUD ($31,800) worth of trading cards and multiple firearms.
Key Arrests and Seizures
- Police arrested four suspects last week.
- Officers discovered an “Aladdin’s cave” of stolen goods, including Pokémon, Disney Lorcana, Yu-Gi-Oh, Magic: The Gathering, Dragon Ball Z, AFL, and NBA trading cards.
- Five stolen firearms, 100 car keys, ammunition, and a pill press were also confiscated.
Crypto ATM Crimes
- The syndicate allegedly targeted ATMs in Hoppers Crossing, Bentleigh, Brunswick, Werribee, and Vermont.
- Australia has become the world’s third-largest crypto ATM market, with installations increasing 17 times since 2022.*
- U.S. crypto ATMs process at least $160 million in illicit transactions since 2019, with ATM-related crime rates (1.2%) nearly double that of the broader crypto market (0.63%).**
Burglaries and Charges
- The suspects also burglarized trading card stores in Epping, Moonee Ponds, and Eumemmerring since mid-January.
- Police conducted raids in Reservoir, Coburg North, Greensborough, and South Morang.
- A 37-year-old Reservoir man faces 14 burglary and firearm-related charges.
- A 32-year-old Epping man is charged with commercial burglaries, vehicle theft, and methamphetamine possession.
Organized Crime Links
- Investigators found ties to Middle Eastern organized crime groups that allegedly directed the suspects.
- Two additional suspects, aged 33 and 46, were released pending further investigation.
- Detective Inspector Patrick Watkinson credited the trading card community and industry partners for aiding the investigation.
- “Paying others to do your dirty work won’t keep you hidden,” Watkinson warned.
