Friday 12 March 2010

Romanian Cashpoint Trickster Caged Again


A member of a Romanian gang of cashpoint fraudsters – caught by police for the second time tampering with ATM’s – has been jailed for sixteen months.

Mechanic Laurentiu Bunu, 23, of Speyside, Southgate, pleaded guilty to possessing an article in connection with fraud, namely a ‘Lebanese Loop’, in Holloway Road, Holloway, on February 5.

Blackfriars Crown Court heard it was 10.45 pm when officers spotted three Romanians, including the defendant, acting suspiciously near the Nat West Bank and Post Office cashpoint machines.

The trio tried to walk away when approached and unsuccessfully dispose of incriminating evidence, namely credit card-sized plastic gift vouchers they had glued together.

Bunu’s car was searched and police found the ‘Lebanese Loop’ a device, which holds unsuspecting victims’, cards in the machine to be later retrieved by the fraudsters.

Bunu, who arrived in the U.K. in 2006, was jailed for six months in June 2008, for a similar offence.

“You are a thoroughly dishonest man,” Judge John Hillen told Bunu. “You and others like you have devised ways of preying on the public with the purpose of stealing from their bank accounts.

“You were part of a team of fraudsters and thieves in possession of equipment to be used in a dishonest way. You had an element of sophistication and pre-meditation.”

The two co-defendants, who also pleaded guilty to the same charge, were remanded in custody until April 8 for sentencing.

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