A bungling ATM thief who stole more than £25,000 from unsuspecting cash machine users was finally caught after using his own bank card to check his balance. Felix Urcaciu, 33, and his brother Cristian, 37, used cash-trapping devices to target dozens of ATMs across Scotland, Yorkshire and the East Midlands in a sophisticated scam that left victims empty-handed.
How the Scam Worked
The Romanian brothers fitted metal sleeves over cash dispenser slots, preventing notes from being released to customers. Believing there was a fault with the machine, victims would walk away - only for the crooks to return later and collect the trapped cash. But despite stealing thousands of pounds, Felix made a glaring mistake that helped bring the operation crashing down.
Investigation and Arrest
Nottinghamshire Police launched an investigation in the summer of 2023 after reports of money disappearing from ATMs in Sneinton, Chilwell and Bramcote. After trawling through hundreds of hours of CCTV footage, detectives identified two suspects and two cars linked to the crimes. By cross-checking transaction records with the footage, officers discovered Felix had used his own bank card during the offences, directly linking him to the thefts. Further inquiries uncovered similar ATM raids in Leeds, Leicester, Sheffield, Wakefield, Derbyshire and Scotland.
Discovery of Manufacturing Workshop
Police raided Cristian's home in Barnsley on August 2, 2023, where they found a workshop in a garage used to manufacture the trapping devices. Cristian was arrested alongside a woman before Felix turned up carrying cash stolen from an ATM in Sheffield earlier that same morning. A search of his car uncovered the bank card used during the offences, a mobile phone containing images of crime scenes, and a metallic hook used to remove the devices from machines.
Court Proceedings and Sentences
On the first day of his trial, Cristian pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal and concealing criminal property. Felix, of 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. At Nottingham Crown Court, Cristian was jailed for 33 months, while Felix was sentenced in his absence to 40 months.
Judge's Comments and Police Reaction
Sentencing, Judge Mark Watson said the brothers were involved in a "sophisticated and sustained conspiracy" to steal from ATMs across the region. Police staff investigator Jodie Mottishaw said: "The Urcaciu brothers were travelling all over the region to steal cash from unsuspecting victims. This was a calculated and cynical conspiracy that involved the subsequent movement of stolen funds to multiple bank accounts. Ultimately, however, the brothers were undone by their own greed and carelessness, which allowed us to track them down and bring them to justice."
