Robbers tried to blow up Bank of Cyprus ATM machines

A busy road in Nicosia was closed to rush hour traffic after an explosive device was found attached to the Bank of Cyprus ATM machines on Friday morning.

The explosive device made from a gas cylinder attached to a detonator was discovered by a passerby who called the police.

Police and emergency services responded and closed off a section of Archbishop Makarios avenue in Lakatamia, Nicosia, causing traffic chaos.

Police investigations revealed that unknown perpetrators tried to blow up the ATM machines of the Bank of Cyprus with the help of a gas cylinder and fled when they did not succeed.

The road was reopened hours later after the police bomb squad had defused the makeshift device.

Placing gas cylinder bombs at ATMs is a popular practice of ATM robbers in Greece.

Police are viewing footage from the bank’s CCTV cameras for any clues.