Three members of an organised crime group have been jailed for a combined total of more than 13 years after defrauding vulnerable and elderly victims across the country.
The following men were sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday 19 October 2026 after pleading guilty to conspiracy to steal and conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation:
Ionut Matei, 40, of no fixed abode – five years and six months (he was also sentenced for knowingly entering the UK in breach of a deportation order).
Vasile Ciubotaru, 45, of Balfour Road, Ilford – four years and eight months.
Ramonel Mandache, 51, of Henniker Gardens, East Ham, London – three years.
Operation Rages was a complex investigation by Cheshire Police into a nationwide theft and fraud operation, including offences in Warrington and Widnes.
It identified numerous offences committed between October 2024 and August 2026, during which more than £40,000 was stolen from victims across Cheshire, Staffordshire, Nottinghamshire, Greater Manchester, South Yorkshire and Kent.
The offences included:
10 October 2024, Halifax, Widnes. £950 was stolen from the victim’s account following this incident.
8 November 2024, Lloyds Bank, Newcastle-under-Lyme. £800 stolen.
8 November 2024, Halifax, Leek. £300 stolen.
20 January 2026, Halifax, Arnold, Nottinghamshire. £4,163 stolen.
5 March 2026, Halifax, Arnold, Nottinghamshire. £800 stolen.
5 March 2026, Halifax, Arnold, Nottinghamshire. £700 stolen.
21 May 2026, Halifax, Beeston, Nottinghamshire. £5,357 stolen.
21 May 2026, Halifax, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. £4,751 stolen.
5 June 2026, Halifax, Stockport. £800 stolen.
2 July 2026, Halifax, Mexborough, Doncaster. £800 stolen.
3 July 2026, Halifax, Bury, Manchester. £11,100 stolen.
14 July 2026, Lloyds Bank, Cannock, Staffordshire. Nothing was stolen.
15 July 2026, Lloyds Bank, Widnes. £3,100 stolen.
15 July 2026, Lloyds Bank, Newcastle-under-Lyme. £400 stolen.
16 July 2026, Lloyds Bank, Warrington. £3,990 stolen.
5 August 2026, Halifax, Mexborough, Doncaster. £700 stolen.
5 August 2026, Halifax, Mexborough, Doncaster. £750 stolen.
17 August 2026, Lloyds Bank, Chatham, Kent. £800.
Detectives established that the offenders, all Romanian nationals, would travel across the country, specifically targeting elderly and vulnerable victims using cash machines inside Halifax and Lloyds Bank branches.
One offender would position themselves close enough to see the victim entering their PIN, while another would distract them by drawing attention to a banknote deliberately placed on the floor nearby.
While the victim’s attention was diverted, a third member of the group would help steal the victim’s bank card and replace it with a similar-looking card.
Believing they had retrieved their own card from the cash machine, victims left the bank unaware they had been targeted. The offenders then used the stolen card and PIN to make cash withdrawals and purchases, often before victims realised what had happened.
One victim lost £11,100 over a period of almost two weeks before discovering they had become the victim of fraud. Other victims, many in their 70s and 80s, also lost significant sums of money.
Police enquiries also revealed that the defendants were fraudulently obtaining cars using false driving licences in an attempt to disguise their identities and movements.
On 18 August 2026, Cheshire Police officers arrested the three defendants in Portsmouth following extensive CCTV enquiries which had identified them. Each made no comment on arrest.
Detective Sergeant Stephanie Bland, Senior Investigating Officer for Operation Rages, said: “This was a highly organised criminal enterprise that deliberately targeted elderly and vulnerable members of the public for financial gain.
“While many victims suffered significant financial losses, the lasting impact on their confidence and wellbeing cannot be underestimated.
“Operation Rages was a complex investigation spanning multiple force areas but in policing, there are no borders, and even though a majority of these offences occurred outside of Cheshire, our officers were determined to identify those responsible for these crimes, bring them before the courts, and provide reassurance to victims and the wider public.
“We are determined to make Cheshire a hostile environment for criminals. We will continue to disrupt serious and organised crime, protect our communities, and ensure offenders face justice.”
