Two brothers have been sentenced for orchestrating a cash machine theft scheme that netted more than £25,000 across multiple regions of the United Kingdom. Felix Urcaciu, 33, and his 37-year-old brother Cristian carried out a series of thefts targeting cash machines in the East Midlands, Yorkshire, and Scotland by installing metal sleeves over dispenser slots. These devices, known as cash-trapping mechanisms, blocked notes from being dispensed, causing customers to abandon their withdrawal attempts. The Urcaciu brothers would then return later to retrieve the trapped cash.

The operation came to light in the summer of 2023 after Nottinghamshire Police received reports of money disappearing from machines located in Sneinton, Chilwell, and Bramcote. Following an extensive review of hundreds of hours of CCTV footage, investigators identified the two suspects. Crucially, officers matched transaction records with the surveillance videos and discovered that Felix Urcaciu had inadvertently used his own bank card to check his account balance while installing the tampering devices. This error provided key evidence linking him to the crimes.

Cristian Urcaciu admitted to conspiracy to steal and concealing criminal property. Felix Urcaciu was found guilty in absentia of conspiracy to steal, concealing criminal property, and possessing criminal property after failing to appear at trial. At Nottingham Crown Court, Cristian received a 33-month prison sentence, while Felix was sentenced to 40 months in prison.

The case highlights the methodical approach employed by the brothers in exploiting cash machines and underscores the importance of detailed police work involving surveillance and transactional data analysis in bringing offenders to justice.