Robbers blow up ATM at Tongeren post office
A cash machine has been blown up at a post office in the Limburg town of Tongeren. Local residents in Wijkstraat were woken by the explosion in the middle of the night. The ATM was blown up at around 3:45 on Monday morning. Locals report having heard a loud bang. One local resident told VRT News that “I saw three men and then I heard a bang. I said to my husband that this was clearly a robbery”.
The robbers entered the post office through the front door. A number of neighbours were awakened by the noise. "I heard a hell of a din and saw them break in through the front door. They then set off an explosion and load up some of the loot into their car”.
Eyewitness say that the robbers drove away in the direction of Liège.
Forensics experts and the bomb disposal service DOVO went to the scene. DOVO ordered an evacuation of the area surround the post office.
The Acting Mayor of Tongeren An Christiaens (Christian democrat) told VRT News that "18 local residents have been put up in a sports hall as there is a danger that there could still be explosives in the post office. We hope that they will be able to return at around 11am”. ."
Such is the damage caused by the explosion that the post office will remain closed for the rest of the week.
There is still no word on how much was stolen in the robbery.