ATM fraudsters 'withdraw millions of euros'

(ANSA) - December 2 - A criminal organisation used a technique called 'cash trapping' to allegedly withdraw up to 100,000 euros a night from cash machines in northern and central Italy.
    The gang, which is thought to be based in Romania but operating in Italy, allegedly stole millions of euros from ATMs in Emilia-Romagna, Veneto, Lombardy, Tuscany and Lazio.
    They are thought to have used a single bank card, with two holes drilled in the sides, to complete a regular withdrawal before inserting a small metallic plate in the dispensing slot to begin the fraud.
    The men inserted small nails in the holes in the bank card, so as to prevent its full insertion. At that point, the system noted an error and aborted the operation, despite having prepared the money for release. The notes were then caught by the metal plate, named by the gang as the 'fork'. The investigation by police in Bologna began in mid-2014 as a result of complaints by the bank Unicredit and the Banca Poplare for Emilia-Romagna.
    Police arrested eight Romanians and one Italian, who are accused of criminal conspiracy, fraud and illicit use of a credit card.
    Unicredit said in a statement: "We want to thank the police for the speed and care with which they conducted this important operation and protected the security of citizens."