More than £160,000 in cash from stolen ATM machines has still not been recovered, a court heard today.
The details emerged at Ballymena Magistrates Court on Thursday where Barry Richard Smyth, 31, of Ballyutoag Road, Nutts Corner, was remanded in custody in connection with a number of offences relating to an incident at the Antrim Asda supermarket in February this year.
The defendant was charged with the theft of cash worth £88,590 from one machine and £74,950 from the other and he was also charged with stealing the ATM machines worth a total of £32,000.
NI ATM theft investigation sees two men charged with a number of offences
Smyth is further charged with causing criminal damage to the Asda building and taking a digger and a Mitsubishi L200 vehicle without authority.
He also faces three counts of arson relating to the Mitsubishi vehicle and the ATMs.
A police officer said she believed she could connect the accused to the charges.
Opposing bail she said in the early hours of February 1 this year alarms went off at ATMs at Asda where a digger had been used to rip them from a wall.
CCTV showed the ATMs being driven away in a Mitsubishi vehicle which had been stolen from Ballyeaston.
The vehicle and the shells of the ATMs were found burnt out at Tildarg Road near Ballyclare and £163,540 had not been recovered.
The officer alleged a match to Smyth’s DNA was found on the controls of a stolen digger used in the Asda raid.
ATM thefts accused Lee Wilson appears in court
She objected to bail fearing he could abscond and may obstruct the course of justice.
The officer said: “Police believe this is part of a larger crime gang.”
She said the nature of the destruction of property showed the “mindset” of the defendant.
A defence lawyer said his client denied being involved and told police: “I didn’t do this.”
The lawyer said mixed DNA had been taken from the digger.
Refusing bail, District Judge Nigel Broderick said there was a DNA profile from inside the digger used in the theft and he was concerned there was a risk of offending and a risk of interference in the case.
How to find an ATM in your area that's free to withdraw money from
Smyth was remanded in custody and the case was adjourned to Antrim Magistrates Court on May 28.
At the same court a man was remanded in custody after being charged in relation to the theft of an ATM at Nutts Corner earlier this week.
Patrick Close, 21 and from Camlin Park, Crumlin, faces five charges linked to the theft of an ATM worth £16,000 containing £59,090.
He is further accused of causing criminal damage to a Costcutters store; theft and arson of a Hitachi digger and aggravated taking and causing damage to a Land Rover.
A police officer said she believed she could connect him to the charges.
Nearly 1,700 ATMs became fee-charging between January and March, says Which?
A defence solicitor said he had no questions regarding the defendant being connected to the charges and he said no application was being made for bail.
A prosecution lawyer asked for the case to be adjourned for four weeks to await a full file being received from police.
Close was remanded in custody to Antrim Magistrates Court on May 28.
Keep up-to-date with all the very latest news, what's on, sport and everything else in Belfast and beyond with the Belfast Live app.
Only select news that interests you by picking the topics you want to display on the app's homepage. Plus, our enhanced user experience includes live blogs, video, interactive maps and slick picture galleries. Download it now and get involved.
Click here to get it from the App Store or here for Google Play .
