Man (34) travelled around Dublin in rented car to carry out 15 'transaction reversal frauds', court hears

A SUSPECTED thief travelled around Dublin in a rented GoCar to carry out a series of 15 “transaction reversal frauds” at ATMs, it is alleged.

Dad-to-be Elvis Chiriac (34) is accused of stealing more than €8,000 from bank machines in a spate of thefts across the city earlier this year.

Judge Bryan Smyth remanded him in custody but with consent to bail, despite the objections of gardaí who believe the accused came to Ireland from the UK “to commit crime.”

Mr Chiriac, with an address at Erris Square, Blanchardstown is charged with 15 counts of theft from ATMs in Crumlin, Killiney, Clonskeagh, Firhouse, Rathfarnham, Santry, Artane, Clonee and Carpenterstown between January 6 and 10.

Objecting to bail, Detective Garda Garvan Lennon of the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau said a total of €8,520 was stolen in transaction reversal frauds where ATMs were manipulated and the cash forcibly removed.

He said the accused was allegedly captured in “very vivid” colour CCTV footage at all the ATMs.

Mr Chiriac had rented a GoCar vehicle which he used for all the crimes, Det Gda Lennon said.

He booked this using his Romanian driving licence, his own name and with a credit card and selfie photograph, it was alleged.

The car had GPS which was located at the ATMs at night, over numerous nights. The go-car company provided gardaí with maps of the vehicle’s movements.

Det Gda Lennon said there was a possibility there would be further charges in relation to damage to the ATMs.

There had been 22 incidents in total, with further attempted thefts and a large amount of damage caused, he said.

A co-accused had already been before the courts and others were involved, the garda said.

Det Gda Lennon said he believed the accused had come from the UK, where he was insured on a car that was registered to his fiancée. He had London addresses for his insurance and UK driver’s licence.

He said Mr Chiriac had no ties to this jurisdiction and was a flight risk.

Applying for bail, defence solicitor Donal Quigley said Mr Chiriac was presumed innocent and had been living at the Blanchardstown address for a year with his fiancée, who was due to give birth shortly. He had been arrested outside the Rotunda Hospital, where she was an in-patient.

An ESB bill and PPS number were presented to the court and Mr Quigley said the accused’s responsibilities were in Ireland and he was an “easy man to find.”

Mr Chiriac’s fiancee told the court the accused had gone to the UK to get her car for her, and got insurance to bring it back.

Judge Smyth said he would grant bail but understood the garda’s concern and said there would need to be an independent surety of €2,000, half in cash.

The accused must live at the address provided, not apply for any travel documents, sign on at a garda station, and observe a curfew except when his fiancée goes into labour.

He was remanded in custody, with consent to bail, to appear in Cloverhill District Court on September 18.