Shocking CCTV footage has emerged showing the moment a man attempted to blow open an ATM using homemade explosives in a failed bid to steal cash, an act that ultimately led to an eight-year prison sentence. The incident occurred at Hedgeley Service Station in Powburn, where the explosion caused significant damage but yielded no money.

The offender, Kristopher Follos, 45, carried out a series of coordinated attacks on cash machines across multiple counties during 2025, targeting locations in Northumberland, Cambridgeshire, and Northamptonshire. Investigators determined that Follos conspired to manufacture and deploy improvised explosive devices in an effort to access ATM cash vaults, causing more than £13,000 in property damage while repeatedly failing to obtain any cash.

Video footage from the Powburn attack captures the brazen nature of the crime, showing Follos attempting to blast his way into the cashpoint in a public location, placing nearby residents and businesses at serious risk. Authorities emphasized that although no one was injured, the use of explosives in civilian areas represented an extreme and reckless escalation of criminal behavior.

Follos was arrested following a police raid on his home in Morpeth in September 2025. During the operation, officers were forced to evacuate nearby residents after discovering viable explosive devices inside the property. Subsequent forensic analysis linked the materials to the earlier ATM attacks. Court records also revealed that Follos had previous convictions for burglary, further aggravating the seriousness of the case.

At sentencing, the court underscored that the deliberate use of homemade explosives posed a clear threat to public safety and could have resulted in loss of life. The eight-year custodial sentence reflects the severity of the offenses and serves as a warning that attempts to use violence and explosives for financial gain will be met with firm punishment.

Law enforcement officials credited coordinated investigative work and surveillance footage for bringing the case to a close, reinforcing the role of modern policing tools in preventing further harm and holding dangerous offenders accountable.