Two days after arriving in the UK, he had started his £19,000 crime spree

A prolific cash machine thief from Manchester is to be deported after admitting over 480 charges. Andrei Matei was involved in stealing more than £19,000 from ATMs at locations across the country, a court heard.

The 35-year-old also caused damage valued at over £30,000 to the machines in his wake.

Matei, 35, drove another man around in a Ford Fiesta as the pair used a specially modified tool to jam open the cash dispenser on the ATMs so they could take money from inside.

Nathan Davies told Leeds Crown Court on Wednesday (February 26): “He has admitted two counts of theft and criminal damage. The pleas were entered on a basis that he entered the country on 7th August [2023] and wasn’t involved prior to that and that is accepted by the Crown.

“His involvement was from August 9 (2023) onwards. He has no previous convictions. The circumstances are that there were a number of thefts at petrol stations across the country, using a means known as cash trapping.”

The investigation started in West Yorkshire but officers the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit (YHROCU) soon established that Matei was carrying out his activities across the UK.

Officers conducted an examination of CCTV footage from a number of locations across the UK, including West Yorkshire, London, Wiltshire, Nottinghamshire and Berkshire.

Mitigating, Felicity Hemlin told the court: “It is the first time he has been in custody. He hasn’t asked me to put forward any personal mitigation as he says he has done wrong and deserves his punishment. He will serve his time and will be deported immediately.”

Matei was then eventually arrested in Nottinghamshire on September 1, 2023. He later admitted 483 charges of theft from cash machines and criminal damage.

Appearing before Leeds Crown Court for sentencing on Wednesday (February 26), the 35-year-old Romanian national, formerly of Atherstone Avenue, Crumpsall, Manchester, was sentenced to 27 months.

His Honour Judge Stubbstold him: “At some time on August 7, 2023, you arrived in this country and by August 9, 2023 you had involved yourself in this professional and sophisticated crime.

“I’m drawn to the conclusion you travelled to this country for commit this crime as less than 24 hours after arriving here you travelled the length and breadth of the country to visit ATMs to plunder.

“This was a successful, sophisticated and professional crime. You must receive a sentence that reflects that.”

He will also be deported once he is released.

His offences included ATMs at:

Shell Garage, Huddersfield on 9 August 2023.
East Bowling Shell Service Station, Bradford, also on 9 August 2023.
BP, Pudsey Road, Bradford, on 9 August 2023 and 23 August 2023.
Shell Garage, Three Nuns, Mirfield, also on 9 August 2023.
Shell Garage, Riverside, Castleford, on 11 August 2023 and on 23 August 2023.
Spar, Protovens Lane, Outwood, Wakefield also on 11 August 2023.
Best One Supermarket, Nottingham, also on 11 August 2023.
BP Garage, Abingdon, Nottingham, also on 11 August, 2023.
Shell Garage, Newbury, Berkshire, on 12 August 2023.
Texaco Services, West Acre Services, Salisbury, Wiltshire on 14 August 2023.
Rontect, London Road, Bath, also on 14 August 2023.
Co-op, Widcombe, Bath, also on 14 August 2023.
Shell Garage, Radstock, Bristol, 15 August 2023.
Esso Garage, Devizes, Wiltshire, also 15 August 2023.
Pippin Service Station, Salisbury, Wiltshire, also 15 August 2023.
Texaco Garage, North Weald, London, on 16 August 2023.
Shell Garage, Stopsley, Bedfordshire, on 21 August 2023.
BP Garage, Mansfield Road, Nottingham, on 23 August, 2023.

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