The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Hapless thief jailed for botched ATM raid
COURT: Lee Wilson claimed machine had swallowed his card which resulted in him attacking the dispenser
A man who smashed a man-sized hole in a wall to get inside an ATM claimed he was only trying to get his cash card back.
Lee Wilson caused more than £13,000 of damage to the Kirkcaldy cash machine in the early-morning raid in September.
The 39-year-old claimed the ATM on Pentland Place in the Fife town had swallowed his bank card causing him to “go mental” and attack the machine. He crawled through the hole and spent around 20 minutes within a locked safe room containing more than £21,000 in cash.
He fled the scene empty handed but was caught after traces of his blood were found where he had cut himself.
His own solicitor said his efforts were “doomed to failure from the start” and Wilson was yesterday jailed for 18 months.
A bungling criminal who smashed his way inside a bank machine claims he did it to retrieve his swallowed bank card.
Lee Wilson, 39, appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court where he admitted forcing open the ATM on Pentland Place on September 14 last year.
Wilson created a man-sized hole in the wall before crawling into a locked safe room which contained more than £21,000, during the morning break-in.
Despite being inside for around 20 minutes, Wilson left empty-handed but was rumbled after leaving traces of blood at the scene.
Wilson, of Lomond Gardens in Kirkcaldy, was jailed for 18 months for his actions which his own defence solicitor described as “doomed to failure from the start”.
Depute fiscal Sarah Lumsden told the court the ATM was located on the side of the building occupied by Treble Twenty Taxis and only select employees had access to the safe.
She said: “At the time of the incident, £21,290 was within the safe and the ATM was in good working order.
“At around 4am, a witness who lived near the premises heard loud banging coming from the location of the locus which continued for several minutes before going completely silent.”
A motion sensor inside the safe room was triggered by Wilson’s movements and the police were contacted.
Miss Lumsden added: “The hole created was big enough for a person to squeeze through. Three blood traces were found and DNA belonging to the accused was found.
“While the theft was unsuccessful, the substantial damage to the ATM and its reinforced surrounding amounted to a sum of £13,680.”
Defence solicitor Nigel Cooke told the court his client had not intended to steal the cash but had been trying to retrieve his bank card which he claims was retained by the machine.
Mr Cooke said: “The situation which led to this incident was that he (Wilson) had been unemployed for many years but had then been successful in gaining some casual work from a local scrap merchant.
“He was making his way to work when he went to the cash machine with the view to taking money out.
“The cash machine didn’t work in the sense that his card was retained. He has a history of drug abuse which is now under control.
“But he tells me that the previous evening, he had consumed some Valium.
“When the card was retained, he admits to ‘going mental’ and he kicked the machine which broke the panel which opened up into the safe, allowing him to force his way into the machine.”
Mr Cooke told the court that after forcing his way into the safe room, Wilson remained there for around 20 minutes before fleeing. He branded the attempted break-in “wholly unsuccessful”, adding: “It was clearly doomed to failure from the start.”
Sheriff James Williamson ordered the bungling crook to spend 18 months behind bars.