TWO men face time in jail after attempting a cash machine scam across south Essex.

Cristian Gherghel, 29, and Vasile Kiraly, 19, both pleaded guilty at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court to one charge of going equipped for theft.

On November 22, the pair were spotted acting suspiciously by a Santander cash point in Chelmsford High Street, at about 5.10am.

Police arrived and found the pair had a camera, screwdriver, a piece of wood and superglue.

A search of Gherghel’s car found a sat nav with addresses of banks in Rayleigh, Billericay, Wickford, Brentwood, South Woodham Ferrers, Braintree and Maldon.

Gherghel, of Atherton Road, Ilford, and Kiraly, of Heath Way, Dagenham, had planned to tamper with the cash machines in a bid to take photos of pin numbers via a camera attached to the ATMs.

Both are due to reappear at the same court on January 6 once pre-sentence reports are completed and were given unconditional bail.

Chairman of the bench Ian Fuller said: “There is a strong likelihood you could both go to prison.”

Prosecuting solicitor Grace Court told the magistrates Gherghel had been spotted on CCTV “rocking” against the machine in Chelmsford.

Kiraly was then seen to fiddle with part of the cash point.

When police officers arrived the pair tried to walk away, but were caught shortly afterwards and arrested.

Miss Court added: “While in the police car, one of the officers spotted three screws on the car seat.

“When asked, Mr Gherghel said they had come from there and nodded to the cash machine.”

The cash points at banks programmed into the Gherghel’s sat nav were taped off by police on the day as they investigated the matter.