Fraudster in cash machine scam jailed

Domijian Husdup was arrested after a customer became suspicious about his behaviour near two ATMs in Drighlington, Leeds, Leeds Crown Court heard yesterday.

Another customer had already been defrauded after he tried to use the cash machine outside the Co-operative Store in Whitehall Road, Drighlington, and found his card retained.

He was annoyed and concerned cancelling his card within 20 minutes when he got home, said Joseph Spencer, prosecuting.

But by then it had already been used four times to withdraw a total of £300 at another cash machine at Londis in nearby King Street.

It was there David Burke’s suspicions were aroused when he noticed Husdup withdrawing sums of cash more than once.

He had planned to use the Co-op himself but found a sign on it that it was out of order and when he saw Husdup heading back towards that machine he thought something might be wrong.

He went home but after thinking about what he had seen he returned to the area and saw Husdup and an unknown accomplice still in the vicinity.

He then told staff who alerted the police, while he kept watch. He noticed that every time people used the Co-op machine the pair returned to it. When the police arrived, he showed them the machine where a mobile phone recording PIN numbers was discovered hidden under a plastic panel.

A plastic cover had also been fitted inside the card slot containing a magnetic strip secured with tape which already held another customer’s card.

Husdup, 23, of Forest Road, Bristol, admitted possessing articles for use in fraud at Leeds and Willington, Co Durham, making false representations and possessing cocaine.

Jailing him, Judge Geoffrey Marson QC said: “This is professional, sophisticated, planned crime involving fixing machinery to ATM machines.”