German banks close to the Dutch border are tightening up security following a surge in attacks on cash dispensers, thought to have been orchestrated by Dutch gangs.

In the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia there have been 80 attempts to blow up or crash into ATMs so far this year, compared with 67 in 2015 as a whole. In Lower Saxony there have been 67, compared with just 28 in 2015.

‘This is a major security issue at the moment,’ a bank spokesman told broadcaster NOS. ‘We are taking a number of measures.’

These involve closing off the ATMs at night, putting less money in the dispensers and adding ink cartridges to the cash in the hope they will mark the notes.

Police suspect the raids are being carried out by a group of some 250 Dutch Moroccans who are based in Utrecht and Amsterdam, NOS said. They have moved into Germany because of increased security at Dutch ATMs.

The gang is known as the ‘Audi mob’ because of their habit of stealing fast Audis to make their getaway over the border.