THE alleged accomplice of a man who stole £510 from cash machines is being hunted for after he failed to turn up in court.

Marcel Dumitru, aged 35, was jailed for two years at Bolton Crown Court yesterday after being convicted of conspiracy to commit theft from a meter.

Prosecutors allege Dumitru, currently in jail, had an accomplice, Petre Tiberiu Ionita, aged 27, of Little Lever, who was due to face trial but who absconded on March 14. Police are now appealing for the public’s help in bringing him to justice and officers have released an image of him.

Dumitru was found guilty of using cash-trap devices to steal £510 from eight people between December 12 and February 8 at Walmersley Road Post Office in Bury and Morrisons in King Street in Ramsbottom.Customers were tricked into thinking the machine had failed to work properly and would walk away, leaving the thief to return to it and steal the cash.

The plan was foiled on when officers on patrol in Bolton stopped a blue Ford Escort, driven by Ionita, on Bridgeman Place. Dumitru was in the back seat.

Officers checked the car and noticed the sat nav had cash points and post offices in its history.

After the pair were arrested, officers found 30 blank credit cards and equipment used in their thefts from the machines.

Anyone who recognises Ionita or knows of his whereabouts should call police on 0161 856 8181 or Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111.