Dumitru Pufulete and Costel Lupu used a crude device to siphon cash machine customers' money off for themselves
A thief who scammed cashpoint machines across Teesside with a crude “cash trap” has been given a prison sentence.
But the punishment meant freedom today for Dumitru Pufulete, who had already served his sentence on remand.
The 27-year-old and Costel Lupu, 25, fitted a “cash trap” device to ATMs to siphon people’s money for themselves, Teesside Crown Court heard.
Prosecutor Paul Cleasby said: “They were attacking cashpoints in the Teesside area.
"The offences span a six-week period and involved repeated visits to cashpoints in Middlesbrough, Stockton and Guisborough.”
They tampered with cash machines outside post offices and banks fitting the device, Mr Cleasby said today.
When customers tried to withdraw money, the cash was diverted into the cash trap.
“The customer would think that the cash machine was out of order or that it had run out of money,” added Mr Cleasby.
“Thereafter the defendants would return to the cashpoint and seize the money that had been diverted into the cash trap device.
“In total it appear that the defendants acquired in the region of about £800.”
The two thieves were arrested on September 14 last year.
They were stopped in a Volkswagen Golf driven south by Lupu on the A19 at Billingham.
Police found £3,400 cash in a CD holder and a suitcase - said to be Lupu’s money - and the cash trap device hidden under the gearbox.
The two were seen on CCTV footage.
Pufulete, aided by an interpreter in court, admitted 10 counts of theft.
The defendant had two previous offences of shoplifting.
He said he’d been in the UK for four months and bought and sold cars with Lupu.
Kieran Rainey, defending, said Pufulete had been in custody for six-and-a-half months, equal to a 13-month sentence.
Mr Rainey said: “He came to this country with some savings intending to earn money.
"He never claimed benefits once.
“He was hoping to send money back to his mum, who’s not well. That didn’t come about. He ran out of his savings.
“It’s a rather crude device. It’s essentially a strip of plastic, a bent ruler almost, and some glue.
"He saw that and took that opportunity. He realises now how foolish he was and he should have tried harder to secure work.
"He says he will not go back to this sort of offending again.”
Judge George Moorhouse told Pufulete: “That is a very serious offence, an offence which causes great inconvenience to customers and banks.
“You could be looking at a very lengthy sentence. But you’ve pleaded guilty. I accept it was unsophisticated. It was a crude device.”
Pufulete, of Oldham Road, Manchester, was given a one-year prison sentence, meaning his early release.
Lupu, of Greenhill Terrace, Oldham, will be sentenced next Monday.
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