An estate agent is among the group of alleged cyber plotters charged with stealing £1.3m from a Barclays bank branch by taking control of its computer system.
He is Michael Harper, 26, of Kiln Place, Gospel Oak, north London.
He and another of the accused, Lewis James Murphy, 25, of Chelsea, were charged with credit card fraud linked to the up-market retailer Selfridges.
The pair are among four men charged in connection with the theft at the Barclays branch in Finchley Road, Swiss Cottage, London.
The theft is alleged to have taken place last April when police believe that someone posing as an engineer at the branch planted a device called a keyboard video mouse, allowing thieves to access accounts.
Eight people were arrested in a police operation last week.
Police believe the gang had a control room in Marylebone, London. One of the men arrested was described by police as the “Mr Big of UK cyber crime”. Police believe that the cyber crime was on a scale unprecedented in this country.
The other two men charged are Darius Bolder, 34, of Chelsea, and Tony Colston-Hayter, 47, of Ilminster, Somerset, who are alleged to have set up the system to siphon off cash. They are charged with conspiracy to steal from Barclays.
None of the men entered a plea on the charges when they appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court last Friday. All four men have been remanded in custody to appear at Southwark Crown Court next month. The remaining four men who were arrested have been released on bail.
No comments on this story, please, for legal reasons.
.png)
Comments