Gang who ripped out cash machines ordered to pay up or face further jail time
Gang members who raided cash machines across the West Midlands have been ordered to pay money back or face more time behind bars.
Confiscation orders under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) have been issued against four members of a crime gang who ripped out ATMs from shops, cafes, train stations and hospitals around the region between 2018 and 2019.
West Midlands Police said it had pursued the stolen money under POCA to ensure their victims were compensated and the thieves couldn’t benefit from their crimes.
The gang would tie straps around free-standing machines before pulling them out using vehicles on cloned plates.
The force used CCTV, forensics and phone analysis to help catch them and they were jailed in October 2019 after admitting conspiracy to commit burglaries.
A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: "Our financial investigators at the Regional Economic Crime Unit (RECU) started the process of tracing and recovering the cash following conviction.
"This led to Confiscation Orders being secured under POCA at Birmingham Crown Court last week against four of the five convicted.
"We’re in the process of bringing a similar case against the fifth man."
The criminals must pay the compensation to the cash machine operators within three months or their jail terms will be increased.
Ringleader Craig Matthews, aged 44 of Edgbaston, must pay almost £160,000, otherwise his eight year and seven month sentence will be increased by a year and nine months.
Charlie Ward, 29, of Tile Hill in Coventry, must pay £21,000 or his five year sentence is increased by a year.
Shane Stajsavlijevic, 38, of Henley Green in Coventry, must pay just over £17,500 or his seven years and two months prison terms increases by 10 months.
Kenneth Bourne, 41, of Fillongley, must pay £8,300 or his six year sentence increases by six months.
