CCTV cameras help to catch London tube station fraudster

The fraudster was planting skimming devices on to ticket machines but was caught out by the use of CCTV cameras

CCTV cameras have helped to catch a fraudster who was attaching skimming devices to ticket machines on the London underground.

The device is used to gather data fraudulently from a person’s debit or credit card when they use it in the ticket machine. Their finances and personal details can then be used illegally by the criminals.

Alin-Cristi Lazar, aged 20, was caught attaching the skimming devices onto ticket machines at three separate stations on the underground Tube network.

CCTV cameras captured Lazar fixing the devices onto the ticket machines and the police managed to identify him as a result.

On April 11 this year, staff from the Gloucester Road Underground Station, in west London, were told that a skimming device had been found attached to a ticket machine. Then on May 3, another skimming device was found on a ticket machine at Notting Hill Gate Underground and a week later a third device was discovered at Canary Wharf.

Captured CCTV footage and forensic evidence at all three crime sites helped detectives with their investigation.

Lazar from Edgware, in north London, pleaded guilty to three charges of possessing articles with the intent of fraud. He was handed a 12 month jail sentence for each count, to run concurrently at a Young Offenders Institute.

Detective Constable Matt Nolan, from the British Transport Police’s Series & Organised Crime Unit said: “Lazar thought he was being smart by planting devices at different stations throughout the network. However, what he did not realise is that we police a CCTV rich environment and were positively able to link him to each location.”

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