Two men have been convicted after using cash-trapping devices to steal money from ATM machines across the UK.
Nottinghamshire Police began investigating in summer 2023 after customers were targeted at machines in Sneinton, Chilwell and Bramcote. In each case, victims attempted to withdraw cash that failed to appear. Assuming a fault with the machine, they contacted their banks and were usually refunded.
In reality, the money had been diverted into a specially constructed metallic wedge device fitted to the cash dispenser.
Brothers Felix and Christian Urcaciu installed the devices in the evening before returning the following morning to retrieve any cash that had been trapped.
Between May and August 2023, the pair repeated the scam at multiple locations, including Nottinghamshire, Leeds, Leicester, Sheffield, Wakefield, Derbyshire and Scotland, stealing many thousands of pounds in the process.
They were identified after detectives combined financial enquiries, CCTV footage and vehicle analysis to trace their movements.
A key breakthrough came when investigators discovered Felix was using his own bank card to make balance enquiries as cover for his activities. This enabled officers to identify two different vehicles linked to the offences.
During a subsequent search warrant at Cristian’s address in Barnsley, officers discovered an improvised workshop in the garage where the devices were being made.
Additional traps were recovered from a vehicle Felix was travelling in when he was arrested on the morning of the warrant.
Christian, aged 37, of Upper Sheffield Road, Barnsley, waited until the day of his trial on 27 April to plead guilty to conspiracy to steal and concealing criminal property.
Felix, aged 33, of Thomas Street, Selby, was found guilty in his absence of conspiracy to steal, concealing criminal property and possessing criminal property.
Charges against two female defendants were dismissed following Cristian’s guilty plea.
Both men are due to be sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court on 26 June.
Police Staff Investigator Jodie Mottishaw said:
“These men were engaged in a cynical and sophisticated conspiracy at hundreds of locations across the East Midlands and the wider UK.
“What they were doing was utterly brazen and showed a total disregard for what we believe to be hundreds of people whose cash they stole.
“I know many victims would have been extremely upset at the prospect of losing significant sums of money in this way — even if that money was later refunded.
“I am pleased this case has now concluded and look forward to the sentencing.”
