Two American citizens accused of stealing money from cash machines were remanded in custody yesterday.

Juan Carvajal, 21, and Avik Rivera, 24, both from Puerto Rico, were denied bail at Magistrates’ Court after they were charged with an attempt to steal cash from HSBC-owned ATMs.

The two were also charged with possession of a machine designed to print fake credit and debit cards and attempting to leave the island with about $2,000 in Bermuda currency.

The defendants did not have to enter a plea because the case will be heard in the Supreme Court.

The court heard that Mr Carvajal and Mr Rivera were stopped by US Customs at the airport as they tried to leave the island.

Customs agents searched their bags and it is alleged officials found a laptop, an iPhone, a card-printing machine, multiple gift cards and credit cards, and large amounts of Bermudian bank notes.

It was further alleged that customs officials later found a programme on the laptop designed to work with the card machine.

The incident was alleged to have happened on January 19.

Senior magistrate Juan Wolffe adjourned the case until the Supreme Court sitting on March 1.

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