BUNGLING thieves botched an ATM raid, stole tools and returned to try again, a court has heard - but police beat them there.

David Begalov, 32, appeared at Oxford Crown Court yesterday in connection with the attempted theft of a cash machine in Abingdon, and related theft hours later from a tool yard in Oxford.

He denies being one of two men who were filmed on April 3, trying and failing to take the cashpoint from the BP garage in Vineyard.

CCTV was played to jurors at the start of his trial yesterday, showing two figures tying tow straps to the ATM and to the back of a blue Peugeot, and driving off at speed in an apparent attempt to break it free.

ALSO READ: Police at scene of attempted ATM raid at village Co-op

Their repeated efforts, at about 1.30am in the morning, failed as the straps kept snapping under pressure.

They eventually left the scene and police arrived shortly after, having been alerted by the machine's tampering alarm.

Officers found broken plastic and wires scattered on the forecourt floor, where the pair had prised off the cover of the cash dispenser, and cordoned off the scene.

Police viewed CCTV from the forecourt and gained a clear picture of the car and its registration number.

Officers then saw the very same car pass the petrol station at 4.37am, and followed it to Culham High Street with back-up.

Various police vehicles, including a dog unit, 'boxed in' the car outside Culham Parochial Primary School, the court heard.

The driver was Goga Kakitadze, 35, of no fixed abode, who has already pleaded guilty to his part in the attempted ATM raid.

READ AGAIN: ATM at petrol station is latest to be targeted

Begalov, also of no fixed abode, was his passenger.

Both men were arrested and charged, but Begalov claims he was in the car as Kakitadze had picked him up at about 4am, to give him a lift to work.

He is accused of one count of theft, of a petrol disc cutter and towing chain belonging to MJ Engineers, one count of going equipped for theft, and one count of attempted theft of the ATM.

He denies all charges.

Police found a petrol disc cutter and tow chain in the car boot, which were traced to MJ Engineers in Littlemore.

CCTV from the business showed a man entering the yard at 3.57am that morning, taking the disc cutter from the ground and stealing a tow chain from a lorry.

Forensic experts found that at least one of the damage marks on the ATM matched one of the screwdrivers.

The car had been bought from a seller in Enfield by three men the previous evening, the court heard, and one of the mobile numbers linked to that transaction matched Kakitadze's.

ALSO READ: Witnesses describe destructive ATM raid at Co-op

Speaking at court yesterday, DC Christopher Gibson, the investigating officer, said the straps used in the footage are 'entirely insufficient' to break a cash machine free.

He explained that although it was standalone and not embedded in the wall, it was still anchored to the ground with a chain.

DC Gibson drew comparison between the clothes Begalov was arrested in and the clothes of one of the men in the CCTV - black shoes with white markings, jeans and a ribbed dark jacket. However, he added: "We haven't been able to positively identify anybody from that CCTV."

The detective agreed that the defendant is of good character and has no prior convictions.

Begalov, of no fixed above, had a Russian interpreter in court with him and told police during interview in April that he had been in the UK for 'three or four months.'

The trial, expected to finish today, continues.