Tourists admit skimming ATMs

Reparations of almost $30,000 will be sought from two visiting Bulgarians who have admitted "skimming" attacks on automatic money machines.

The pair pleaded guilty to computer crime charges and one charge of giving false information to the Immigration Department, in the Christchurch District Court today.

Krasimir Jordanov Damyanov, 25, and Deyan Dimitrov Iliev, 21, were remanded in custody to December 11 and Judge John Bisphan requested probation and reparation reports.

Defence counsel Craig Ruane said there would be no application for bail because the two men were visitors to New Zealand.

He said there was no need for a home detention or community detention report, as there could be only one outcome, and the only question was how long their jail sentence would be.

He said the reparation sought could be near $30,000.

The men were arrested in Nelson, and charged in connection with "skimming" attacks on 10 automatic teller machines in Nelson and Canterbury.

The police's summary of facts was not read in court and details of the method used for the attacks have been suppressed.

- NZPA