Three Romanian nationals have been jailed after executing a calculated cash machine scam that targeted elderly bank customers across England.
Ionut Matei, Vasile Ciubotaru and Ramonel Mandache operated a systematic distraction scheme that stole more than £40,000 from vulnerable pensioners using ATMs.
Scam targeted cash machine users
The organised crime gang travelled across the country between October 2024 and August 2026, striking at Halifax and Lloyds Bank cash machines in locations including Stockport and Bury.
Their calculated scheme relied on team distraction at the terminal. One offender stood close enough to memorise the victim entering their PIN, while a second dropped a banknote onto the floor to divert their attention.
A third accomplice then swiftly swiped the bank card and replaced it with a lookalike card.
Victims were left totally unaware that their cards had been stolen.
Thousands stolen from unsuspecting victims
The criminals immediately used the stolen cards and PINs to withdraw cash and purchase items before victims realised what had occurred.
One victim lost £11,100 over just two weeks. Many other victims, including elderly people in their 70s and 80s, suffered major financial losses.
Offences were recorded across Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Staffordshire, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire and Kent.
This was a highly organised criminal enterprise that deliberately targeted elderly and vulnerable members of the public for financial gain.
Detective Sergeant Stephanie Bland, Senior Investigating Officer for Operation Rages
Vehicles acquired using fake driving licences
Cheshire Police launched Operation Rages to investigate the widespread theft and fraud.
Detectives discovered the men were also fraudulently obtaining cars using false driving licences to conceal their identities and movements across county lines.
Following extensive CCTV enquiries, all three men were arrested in Portsmouth on August 18 this year.
Each suspect offered no comment when questioned by officers.
Prison sentences handed down at court
The trio were sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday, October 19, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to steal and conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation.
Matei, 40, of no fixed abode, was jailed for five years and six months. He was also sentenced for knowingly entering the UK in breach of a deportation order.
Ciubotaru, 45, of Balfour Road, Ilford, was jailed for four years and eight months.
Mandache, 51, of Henniker Gardens, East Ham, London, was sentenced to three years in prison.
Police vow to protect vulnerable communities
Detective Sergeant Stephanie Bland highlighted the severe toll inflicted on victims across the country.
While many victims suffered significant financial losses, the lasting impact on their confidence and wellbeing cannot be underestimated.
Detective Sergeant Bland explained how officers collaborated to defeat the cross-county operation.
Operation Rages was a complex investigation spanning multiple force areas but in policing, there are no borders, and even though a majority of these offences occurred outside of Cheshire, our officers were determined to identify those responsible for these crimes, bring them before the courts, and provide reassurance to victims and the wider public.
She emphasized that police will continue to target criminal networks.
We are determined to make Cheshire a hostile environment for criminals. We will continue to disrupt serious and organised crime, protect our communities, and ensure offenders face justice.