Three fraudsters who placed a skimming device onto a cash machine to steal tube passengers’ bank card details have been jailed.

Alin Cristea, 28, of Burnside Avenue, Chingford, appeared at Blackfriars Crown Court on Wednesday, 4 September, and was sentenced to 14 weeks in prison after pleading guilty to possessing an article for use in fraud.

A brother and sister crime duo were also found guilty and sentenced on the same day.

Simona, 24,of no fixed address, was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to possession of an article for use in fraud and two counts of possessing a false identity document.

Adrian Flore, 23, of Eastern Avenue, Ilford, was sentenced to 10 weeks in a Young Offenders Institute on Wednesday, 21 August after pleading guilty to possessing an article for use in fraud.

The court heard that plain clothes British Transport Police officers were patrolling Baker Street London Underground station at around 8pm on Monday August 19.

They discovered a skimming device attached to a cash point, which they covertly monitored.

At 9.10pm officers saw Adrian Flore and Alin Cristea approach the machine and joined by Simona Flore, who acted as a look out for the men while they removed the device.

Both men were stopped by police and were found in possession of different parts to the skimming device.

Simona Flore fled the station but was soon arrested.

While in custody she gave police a fake name and counterfeit identity documents.

PC Mark Pink, the investigating officer, said: “More than 100 people used the ATM while the skimming device was in place.

“Thankfully the officers patrolling the station stopped the trio from getting hold of the passengers' bank details.

“We’ve discovered and removed a number of these devices at various stations and I’d urge members of the public to be aware of these scams and take care when using cash points.”