A GANG of hackers who used malware to get cash machines to dish out £120,000 have been locked up for a combined 13 years.

Petru-Giani Feraru, Razvan Danaila, Robert Danaila, Victor Camara, Ioan Constantin and Constantin Lupoaie were each involved in a conspiracy that saw £120,000 stolen from machines after the malicious software was installed.

The machines were targeted in Basildon, Colchester, Northfleet, Gravesend, Greenwich, Bromley and Barking across early 2020.

Each of the offenders was involved in an organised crime group that tampered with the wiring of cash machines.

They would then attach an electronic device which contained malware that prompted the cash dispenser to hand out money.

Detectives gathered a variety of evidence, including CCTV footage which linked Feraru, Camara and both Danailas to seven offences committed between January 2 and January 31.

This included the targeting of individual machines in London Road, Northfleet, and Valley Drive, Gravesend, on January 11 and 17 respectively.

The four men were detained in Essex on the night of January 30 and, following their arrests, officers uncovered video on Feraru’s phone which showed the inner workings of a cash machine.

On April 6 a further offence took place in Basildon.

Essex Police officers promptly attended and, following a search of the area, stopped Constantin and Lupoaie for a search.

They went on to find Lupoaie in possession of a laptop used to hack the machine and messages on his mobile phone that detailed the offending.

All six men admitted conspiracy to steal and were sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court on Thursday.

Det Cons Terry Hanlon, of Kent Police, said: "Each of these offenders were involved in a sophisticated and well organised conspiracy that resulted in a substantial amount of money being stolen from law abiding businesses.

"Despite going to great lengths to commit their offences, and committing them across several policing areas, we were able to painstakingly gather a trail of evidence they had overlooked.

"Had they not been detained, I have no doubt that they would have continued to offend and I am pleased that they are now unable to do so.

"Their successful prosecution is a clear demonstration that Kent Police, and its partners, have the resources and expertise to target high profile offending, regardless of how sophisticated the offenders believe they are."

Halstead Gazette:

The six hackers 

Camara, 32, of Eldeland, Basildon, was sentenced to two years and four months for conspiracy to steal between December 31, 2019 and January 31 last year.

Constantin, 27, of The Gore, Basildon, was sentenced to three years and four months for conspiracy to steal between December 31 and April 7.

Feraru, 23, of no fixed address, was sentenced to two years and one month for conspiracy to steal between December and January.

Razvan Danaila, 30, of Garnett Way, Walthamstow, was sentenced to two years and six months for conspiracy to steal between December and January.

Robert Danaila, 25, of Ilford Lane, Ilford, was sentenced to two years and four months for conspiracy to steal between December and January.

Lupoaie, 18, of no fixed address, was sentenced to one year for conspiring to steal on April 6.

Watch CCTV footage of one of the incidents here.