ATM thief caught hiding in loft jailed after £16k nationwide spree
Bogdan Gasparov targeted 180 cash machines for his cash-trapping scheme
A prolific thief has been jailed for three years and six months after police found him hiding in a loft crawl space following a nationwide ATM crime spree.
Bogdan Gasparov, 40, used cash-trapping devices to steal over £16,000 from ATMs across England and Wales.
The thefts occurred between May and October 2026, targeting at least 180 cash machines.
Gasparov was identified and arrested after an investigation by the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU), which showed he had been repeatedly stealing by using homemade devices to trap cash and later return to collect it.
Among the targeted areas were Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Nottingham, Oxford, Somerset, Bristol, Derby, Gloucester, Lincoln, the West Midlands, as well as locations in Scotland and Wales.
Gasparov disguised his crimes by appearing to carry out legitimate transactions before fitting cash-trapping devices.
ERSOU's Proactive Economic Crime Team (PECT) reviewed CCTV footage linking Gasparov to the crime scenes.
On 8th October, officers executed a warrant at his Dagenham address, where Gasparov was found hiding.
A search of Gasparov's vehicle uncovered clothing worn during the offences and cash-trapping devices.
Gasparov, a Moldovan national using multiple aliases, had previously been convicted of similar offences and illegally re-entered the UK after deportation.
Within 24 hours of his arrest, Gasparov pleaded guilty at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court to two counts of theft from an ATM and other charges relating to his illegal re-entry and possession of articles for use in fraud.
On 9th November, Gasparov was sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court.
Detective Sergeant Mike Simpson said, "Gasparov carried out a calculated campaign of theft. He previously believed he could stay one step ahead of investigators."
Simpson noted the determination of the officers and the strength of the evidence gathered in bringing Gasparov to justice once again.