Alex Trelinski
A CONMAN preyed on elderly people using ATM machines in Valencia to steal a total of €8,380 during 10 deceptions.
The 30-year-old man always went for senior citizens and duped them into believing a machine was not working.
He then distracted them and made withdrawals between €800 and €900.
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The Policia Nacional started investigating a rash of similar crimes in April.
The man would monitor an ATM and wait specifically for older users.
Once his target had entered their PIN number, he’d approach them with a lie that the machine was out of order.
He’d also be carrying a magazine or newspaper to hide one of his hands which would tap in a withdrawal amount while his mark was being distracted.
After the process was concluded, his target would get their card returned to them by the ATM- seemingly as proof that it was not working properly.
The fraudster banked on victims not having physical or mental capabilities to work out what he was doing.
To give an extra layer of protection, his face was always covered by a mask and he wore sunglasses and a cap.
The Policia Nacional said the high amount of cash withdrawn put many of his victims into financial trouble.
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