Andorra Man Jailed 10 Months for ATM and Car Break-Ins

Police in Escaldes-Engordany arrested a young man after a series of early-morning break-ins at the Les Molleres parking lot, where he targeted an ATM and several vehicles. A court convicted him of a major continued offence of theft with force, sentencing him to 10 months in prison—one month at La Comella penitentiary—with the remainder replaced by a seven-year expulsion from Andorra.

The incidents began around 7am when a citizen alerted officers to a man dressed entirely in black, wearing a cap to conceal his identity, attempting to pry open the ATM. He fled before police arrived. Officers later found damage to the machine, caused by a screwdriver and a ski pole as shown on security footage, along with a broken window on a parked car from which items had been stolen. Under another vehicle, they recovered some loot: a wallet and a pillowcase containing bottles of alcohol, soft drinks, and a speaker.

Two days later, traffic services reported more damage at the same site—three additional cars with smashed windows. A black flashlight was found under one, and valuables from inside had been taken.

Two days after that, the owner of a campervan in the area reported a forced lock and missing items. A pillow at the scene matched the pillowcase from the first incident, linking all cases.

All thefts occurred between 6am and 7am, prompting police to focus on nearby residents. Neighbours' tips led officers to a suspect's home, where security footage from the ATM confirmed his identity as a housemate. He confessed.

Victims filed claims totalling €7,061. These included €4,560.68 from Escaldes-Engordany council for ATM repairs; €800 from one owner for clothing, an iPod Nano, headphones, a watch, cash, and window replacement; €853.61 for a tablet and vehicle damage; €382.41 for personal items; and €212 and €251 for two more broken windows.