Suspect rode from Bratislava for failed ATM blast in Wolfsthal

A man suspected of trying to blow up an ATM in Wolfsthal, in the Bruck an der Leitha district, rode there from his home in Bratislava and was arrested near the Slovak border, ORF reported Thursday.

Police said the man tried shortly after 3.30 a.m. on Wednesday to blow up the machine by pumping gas into it. The attempt failed. A witness saw him and gave police a description that helped in the search. The suspect also fled by bicycle and, according to police, admitted to the attempt during initial questioning.

It is not yet clear whether he acted alone. Police are investigating possible accomplices. The head of Lower Austria’s State Criminal Police Office, Stefan Pfandler, said the ATM’s design had helped prevent the blast. The failed attempt nevertheless caused considerable damage; police have not disclosed an estimate.