Sunday 1 November 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 7837Theft · Co. Dublin

Man sentenced to five years for ATM thefts in Dublin

Levers Zinca, a 31-year-old Romanian man, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 7 October 2026 to five years' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended for two years, for seven counts of ATM theft totalling €1,940. Between January and December 2025, he targeted seven vulnerable victims including an 80-year-old woman, an 80-year-old nun, a wheelchair-bound man, and a visually impaired man, using leaflets to cover ATM screens while withdrawing cash. He was arrested in January 2026, had bail refused at Dublin District Court on 26 January, and pleaded guilty to all seven counts. The judge noted his 18 previous Irish convictions and backdated the sentence to January 2026.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court26 Jan
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced7 Oct
    2 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
Zinca used leaflets to cover ATM screens while withdrawing cash from seven vulnerable victims, including an 80-year-old woman, an 80-year-old nun, a wheelchair-bound man, and a visually impaired man.
Where
The thefts took place at ATMs in Dundrum, O'Connell Street Lower, Main Street Finglas, AIB Capel Street, Bank of Ireland Drimnagh, and Walkinstown, Dublin.
When
The thefts occurred between January and December 2025, with one count on 30 January 2025 and the remainder between July and December 2025.
Cause
Zinca said he carried out the thefts to send money to his sick grandmother in Romania.
Investigation
Zinca was identified from CCTV and arrested in January 2026.
Charges
He was charged with seven counts under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001.
In court
He pleaded guilty to all seven counts at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court before Judge Cephas Power, initially denying one count before changing his plea after consultation with counsel.
Sentence
He was sentenced to five years' imprisonment with the final six months suspended for two years, backdated to January 2026.
Other details
  • The total amount stolen was €1,940 (one source reports €1,920) and none of the cash has been recovered.
  • Zinca has 18 previous convictions in Ireland and similar convictions in Belgium, Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands, though he denies the Belgian convictions.
  • His family brought €2,000 to court to reimburse the victims.
44 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatA Romanian man has been refused bail at Dublin District Court over a spate of ATM thefts. (gript.ie)
  • whatHe targeted two women in their 80s including a nun, a wheelchair-bound man, and a man with limited sight. (gript.ie)
  • whatHe distracted his victims with leaflets. (gript.ie)
  • whatHe approached victims from the side or behind, held up a leaflet or map to cover the ATM screens, and pressed buttons to withdraw cash. (gript.ie)
  • whatThe thefts involved seven injured parties totalling €1,940. (gript.ie)
  • whatAn 80-year-old woman at Dundrum Town Centre was robbed of €200. (gript.ie)
  • whatA visually impaired Filipino man in his 60s was robbed of €220 on 9 August 2025. (gript.ie)
  • whatOn 10 August a wheelchair-bound man was targeted on Main Street, Finglas, and €200 was taken. (gript.ie)
  • whatOn 29 September 2025 a Chinese woman was targeted at AIB Capel Street and €220 was taken. (gript.ie)
  • whatA 45-year-old Irish woman was approached at a Bank of Ireland ATM in Drimnagh and €200 was taken. (gript.ie)
  • whatZinca stole almost €2,000 in a series of ATM distraction thefts. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatBoth women discovered €200 missing from their accounts and reported it to gardaí. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereAnother count concerns an 80-year-old nun at an ATM at the Bank of Ireland on O’Connell Street Lower on 22 July 2025. (gript.ie)
  • whereA count concerns a man in his late 60s at an ATM on Main Street, Finglas, Dublin 11. (gript.ie)
  • whereHe has an address in Dublin 8. (gript.ie)
  • whereBetween July and December 2025 he targeted people using ATMs in Dundrum, Capel Street, Finglas, Walkinstown and the city centre. (gript.ie)
  • whereThe first victim was an 80-year-old woman using an ATM at the AIB branch in Dundrum Town Centre. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereA week later an 80-year-old nun was targeted at an ATM on O'Connell Street. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenOne count concerns an ATM theft on 30 January 2025 at a Bank of Ireland ATM on O’Connell Street Lower, Dublin 1. (gript.ie)
  • causeZinca said he carried out the thefts to send money to his sick grandmother in Romania. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationHe was arrested in January 2026 and has been in custody since. (gript.ie)
  • investigationThe theft of the Filipino man was captured on CCTV from AIB Capel Street. (gript.ie)
  • investigationZinca was identified from CCTV. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeHe is charged with seven counts under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Theft and Fraud Offences Act 2001. (gript.ie)
  • chargeZinca was arrested in January 2026. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtZinca was remanded in custody to appear again on 28 January for the DPP's directions. (gript.ie)
  • courtProsecuting Garda Oisín Burke opposed bail. (gript.ie)
  • courtHe was arraigned before Judge Cephas Power at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. (gript.ie)
  • courtHe pleaded guilty to five of six outstanding offences but initially denied one count involving €700 taken from a Chinese man. (gript.ie)
  • courtAfter consultation with his defending counsel, he changed his plea to guilty. (gript.ie)
  • courtZinca pleaded guilty to seven counts of theft at ATMs totalling €1,940. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe court heard that Zinca has similar previous convictions in Ireland, Belgium, Denmark and Germany. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe judge said the thefts were planned and part of an organised strategy. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtIn mitigation, the judge considered Zinca's co-operation, admissions, guilty pleas and prior work history. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceHe was sentenced to four years and six months. (gript.ie)
  • sentenceThe judge imposed a five-year sentence with the final six months suspended for two years. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe sentence was backdated to January 2026, when Zinca went into custody. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe total amount stolen is €1,920. (gript.ie)
  • otherNone of the cash has been recovered. (gript.ie)
  • otherHe has 18 previous convictions in Ireland, mostly for the same type of offending. (gript.ie)
  • otherHe has criminal convictions from the Netherlands and Germany but denies convictions recorded in Belgium. (gript.ie)
  • otherThe offence carries a maximum of 10 years. (gript.ie)
  • otherZinca used leaflets to cover the cash dispensing area while he distracted victims. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherDefence counsel said Zinca made a full apology and his family brought €2,000 to court to reimburse the victims. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 8 Oct2026
    Sentencedirishtimes.com, its first report
    Man stole nearly €2,000 in ATM distraction thefts where victims included an elderly nun

    Sentencing report: Zinca pleaded guilty to seven counts of ATM theft, was sentenced to five years with six months suspended, backdated to January 2026. Details of his modus operandi, victims, prior convictions in four countries, and mitigating/aggravating factors provided.

    convicted, Levers Zinca, 31, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Levers Zincavictim, 80, femalevictim, 80
  2. 7 Oct2026
    Sentencedgript.ie, follow-up
    Serial ATM thief who targeted "vulnerable" people jailed - Gript

    Provides full details of the sentencing hearing: specific victims and locations, the method of theft, 18 previous Irish convictions plus foreign convictions, the headline sentence of four years with consecutive elements, and mitigation including drug addiction and family circumstances.

    suspect, Levers Zinca, 31, male, Romanian, named, non-irishLevers Zincavictim, 80, femalevictim, 83, femalevictim, 60s, male, Filipino, non-irishvictim, malevictim, female, Chinese, non-irishvictim, 45, female, Irish, irishvictim, 38, male, Chinese, non-irish
  3. 26 Jan2026
    In courtgript.ie, first report
    Man accused of ATM thefts wept in court as bail denied - Gript

    Adds the bail refusal, the seven charged counts under the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001, the total of €1,920 stolen and that no cash has been recovered. No existing case matches.

    accused, Levers Zinca, 30, male, Romanian, named, non-irishLevers Zincavictim, 80, femalevictim, femalevictim, late 60s, malevictim, 80, femalevictim, 80, female, Irish, irishvictim, 83, femalevictim, 89, male