Kingdom issues int'l warrant for suspected Romanian bank thieves

AMMAN — Jordan has issued an international warrant for the arrest of two Romanians reportedly involved in bank theft in the Kingdom. 

According to the Interpol website, Jordanian authorities sent an official request to Interpol to detain Ciprian Valentin Popa, 31, and Laurentiu Adrian Coman, 34, for two counts of bank theft in the Kingdom. 

Interpol posted photos of the suspects, writing that they are wanted by the Jordanian judicial authorities for prosecution. 

In November 2014, the suspects allegedly stole between JD10,000 and JD15,000 from the Jordan Kuwait Bank in Amman by targeting two of the bank's ATMs in the capital's Marj Hamam and Rawnaq neighbourhoods.

According to police, the suspects used "sophisticated" technological methods to rob the ATMs, without destroying them, that have never been used before in the Kingdom, but recently utilised in many countries around the world.

Police said the Romanians came to Jordan for a short period and rented an apartment in the capital.

There were three suspects, but the warrant was issued for two of them. 

The perpetrators left the Kingdom immediately after committing the theft. 

Also on Sunday, the Public Security Department (PSD) media office said a Jordanian wanted for 10 cases of financial fraud was arrested in Bahrain last week by the Arab Police Department and Interpol. 

The PSD added that Jordanian officers have also handed over two Arab men to Saudi Arabia, where they are wanted for embezzlement and theft cases worth SR9 million — around JD1.7 million or $2.4 million.