Bail has been rejected for a 41-year man who police allege is part of an international criminal gang. Radu Iancu, with an address of Rannoche Close, Crossgar County Down, appeared at Fermanagh Magistrates court via video link this week.

Iancu, who is currently in remand at Maghaberry prison, is charged, along with five others, with the theft of £61,340 from an ATM machine at Trory filling station on the Irvinestown Road in August of this year.

The court heard how the defendant had criminal records in a host of countries across Europe including: Romania, Spain, Italy and Belgium. In opposing bail the police argued that the defendant was an “expert in forging documents” and had “links in various European countries and as such there was a major risk that he would abscond.”

In explaining the details of the case a police officer told the court that at least four people, who were masked and wearing gloves, could be seen on CCTV at Trory filling station in the early hours of August 2 this year.

It was revealed that the gang had appeared to make their way to the filling station via fields and that a number of fences had been cut down in the process. The court was also told that several street lights, a lit-up advertising sign and a satellite dish had all been deactivated before the robbery.

It was reported that the gang then left the scene for a time to, according to police, make sure that no alarms had been activated. The police say that the gang then returned to carry out the theft of the money from the ATM machine.

Police were able to tell the court that a black Mercedes, connected to the defendant, had been identified in the Irvinestown area around midnight and that it returned to Crossgar at 5:00am on the morning of the theft.

It was further revealed that the vehicle was found at the home of the defendant and that after police searched the home of Iancu they found cash in the region of £25,000. The cash was found, under floorboards, behind skirting boards and behind plaster in the wall.

A series of tools including a cordless angle grinder and four walkie talkies were also found in the defendants house.

The police told the court that the robbery was a “very sophisticated operation” and demonstrated planning by a “highly organised crime gang.”

There have been a number of other arrests in relation to this robbery with the three defendants being granted bail.

District Judge Michael Ranahan asked the police officer in attendance had anything changed since those bail applications had been granted to which they replied that the police “had not been in possession of their records in Europe” and that it was also not known that Iancu was an “expert” in forging documents.

A defending solicitor told the court that the defendant denied all involvement in the robbery and that he had already served six months in custody. He argued that it was going to take some time for the case to come before the court and that his client had indicated that he was willing to submit to similar bail conditions as were applied to other defendants in the case.

Judge Ranahan refused bail stating that he believed the new admissions concerning the criminal record in Europe and the defendants apparent ability to forge identify documents made him a considerable flight risk.