CCTV security camera recordings played a key role in securing the jailing of a gang described as being “at the cutting edge of gaming machine fraud”.

The seven men were jailed for the theft and laundering of tens of thousands of £1 coins.

A police investigation culminated yesterday at Oxford Crown Court when the last of the gang was jailed.

The group travelled all over the country – from Wetherby in Yorkshire to Taunton in Somerset – to steal £500 jackpots from gaming machines in service stations, pubs and at Gatwick Airport.

Led by ringleader Thomas Wheatcroft, an unemployed 29-year-old with an 11-year record of convictions for similar offences, the men used electronic devices to trick the slot machines into paying out jackpots.

Between February and September last year, 51 offences netting £43,000 were traced by police using CCTV recordings, although the gang is though to have got away with much more money.

Neil Moore, prosecuting, said: “These defendants were very much at the cutting edge of gaming-machine fraud, always developing new measures when earlier ones were prevented.

“The offences involved gaining access to the machines’ internal electronic circuitry and making them believe credits were being amassed.”

At the Cherwell Valley Moto services, on the M40 at Ardley, Wheatcroft and his “first lieutenant” Paul Hircombe were joined by look-outs James Sharpe and Charlie Shaw to steal £900 from machines on July 5 last year.

The court was shown CCTV of the gang dodging infra-red detection beams in gaming areas, heating metal prongs before inserting them into coin and note slots and using templates to drill holes into the sides of machines.

Wheatcroft was involved in all 51 offences; 46-year-old Hircombe in 49, 25-year-old Sharpe in 27 and 22-year-old Shaw in 20. Adam Barnard, aged 21, was involved in eight and Ian Jarvis, aged 35, in six offences. The six men previously admitted charges of conspiracy to steal.

Darren Carrick, 38, allowed the cash to be paid into his bank and admitted a charge of money laundering.

Between January and December last year, £262,320, of which £156,320 was in pound coins and £92,000 in notes, was deposited in the account in 108 transactions.

On August 21, Wheatcroft, Hircombe and Sharpe were caught in the act at Taunton Deane services.

Wheatcroft had £575 in £1 coins in his pocket and Hircombe had £327. Another £460 was found in their car.

Wheatcroft was jailed for three years and four months; Hircombe for 30 months; Sharpe for 20 months; Barnard for eight months; Shaw for 10 months; Jarvis for six months and Carrick for 18 months.

All the men lived in Portsmouth, Hampshire, except Jarvis, who is from Skegness, in Lincolnshire.

Outside court, Det Insp Kevin McGuire said: “A large number of offences were identified, from which we selected 50 to prosecute. The sentences reflect the seriousness of their crimes.”

Moto spokesman Andrew Leatham said: “These sentences should serve as a warning to anyone to who tries to steal from us.”