Three East London Men Convicted of ATM Skimming Fraud
Three men from East London have been convicted for their involvement in ATM skimming fraud. Cristian-Petrut Zaharia, 19, Ioan Zaharia, 52, and Sandu Vasilca, 30, all faced charges of being equipped for theft after their arrest in the City of London.
The trio was arrested on June 25 after police observed them heading to Cheapside, a known hotspot for card skimming activities. Cristian-Petrut Zaharia was seen briefly approaching an ATM machine with a bank card. He returned to the car shortly after, which led to a police search of the vehicle. During the search, officers uncovered various tools used for skimming cash machines, including dispenser covers, tape, hook picks, screwdrivers, superglue, chisels, and a large sum of cash.
Detective Constable James Crellin from the City of London Police praised the successful arrest, emphasizing the effectiveness of the city’s CCTV system in tracking criminals. “Our control room officers were able to pinpoint their location, leading to swift action and their arrest,” Crellin said. He further warned that the police would continue to target criminals attempting to commit such offenses in the City.
Cristian-Petrut Zaharia and Vasilca were convicted following a trial, while Ioan Zaharia had pleaded guilty earlier. Zaharia has been remanded to appear at the Old Bailey for sentencing. Zaharia and Vasilca are due in court on 6 September.
The case highlights the growing problem of card skimming and entrapment, where fraudsters place devices on ATMs to capture credit card data or prevent cards from being returned to customers.
