A professional scammer stole £19k from ATMs using “cash trapping” shortly after arriving in the UK. He will be deported.
Matei was involved for a short time. They stole over £19,000 in total. They also caused £26,000 in damage to the ATMs. He admitted to theft and causing damage in court. He said he arrived on August 7th, 2023.
The court accepted that he joined on August 9th, 2023. He didn’t have any prior convictions. The crimes involved thefts at gas stations. They used the “cash trapping” method.
The court learned Matei acted as a lookout. He also drove a Ford Focus without insurance. Police arrested Matei at the airport in Manchester. He was trying to fly back to Romania.
His lawyer said it was his first time in jail. Matei accepted he was wrong. He will serve his sentence. He will then be deported from the country.
The judge sentenced Matei to 27 months in jail. He said Matei joined a sophisticated crime quickly. The judge concluded he came to the country to commit crimes. He targeted ATMs soon after arrival. The sentence reflected this professional crime.