FIVE illegal immigrants who were members of a card-skimming gang have been sent to jail by a judge at Maidstone Crown Court.

Laurian Ardelean, 29, Mihai Borcoman, 28, Stefan Grigore, 27, Marianas Vitali, 29, and Mircealivu Chifu, 30, will be deported back to Romania when they have served their sentences.

Chifu received the longest term of three years, as he had previously committed a similar offence.

Three months was added for escaping from Leyhill open prison in Gloucestershire while serving 30 months for the previous offence.

Ardelean was jailed for 30 months and Borcoman, Vitali and Grigore to 32 months. All admitted conspiracy to steal.

The court heard that the gang was caught using sophisticated equipment to skim cards at a cash machine at Lloyds TSB in Rochester High Street on May 7.

Jonathan Higgs, prosecuting, said customer Sandra Hollis found that her card was only partially going into the slot and three of the gang approached her and gave advice on how to make it go in further.

"They also said that if the machine was not working, she should perhaps contact the bank," said Mr Higgs.

Miss Hollis and others became suspicious and reported the matter. Ardelean, Chifu and Ion Stefanescu fled after removing various devices from the machine.

When arrests were made and the equipment was examined, details of 14 cards were found to be stored in it.

Stefanescu also pleaded guilty but sentence was adjourned as the prosecution wanted to investigate his claim that he was only 16.

Judge Jeremy Carey said card-skimming cost banks about £50 million last year. The average loss per card was £1,000.

He told the five: "It has been said that you regard the United Kingdom as the land of opportunity. So it is for those who come legally to this country and are prepared to conduct themselves honestly.

"It is not a land of opportunity to commit criminal offences with impugnity and the day of reckoning has now arrived."