Three men who tricked vulnerable elderly victims into handing over cash have been sentenced for courier fraud.
The men were sentenced at Blackfriars Crown Court on Friday, 22 December.
Charlie Heath, 23 (25.06.94), of Whidborne Street, WC1, was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for making and supplying articles to use in fraud.
Shaheedul Abedin, 20 (28.07.97), of Pollard Street, E2, has been sentenced to 12 months imprisonment for possessing or supplying articles for use in fraud.
Kawsar Ahmed, 19 (16.03.98), of Sydenham Hill, SE26, has been sentenced to 16 months imprisonment for possessing or supplying articles for use in fraud.
They were found guilty at the same court on Friday, 22 December.
A fourth man was found not guilty.
An investigation was launched in Camden in January 2016 after a series of courier fraud offences in the borough.
The above men were arrested in June 2016 as part of an ongoing investigation after a 78-year old woman was tricked into handing over £250, her bank cards and her passport.
On 1 June 2016, officers were en route to a call when they pulled behind a white Audi, which was not linked to the call they were on.
Two people ran from the vehicle, including the driver. A third person, a passenger in the vehicle, then got into the driver’s seat and drove away. Police officers went after the two men who had decamped and detained them. One of these men was Abedin.
Officers then walked the route the men had run and they found a brown envelope with the Audi’s registration on. Inside the envelope was a passport and bank cards belonging to a 78-year-old woman, as well as an A4 piece of paper with 45 names, addresses and contact numbers belonging to elderly residents in Camden.
Officers went and spoke to the victim whose passport and bank cards they had found. She told officers that she was called on her landline by a man who told her he was a police officer and that he was investigating fraudulent activity on in her bank account. He asked her to set up a ‘password’ so that he could arrange for someone to collect her bank cards and the cash. Soon after, a man turned up at the victim’s home address and collected the items.
From working with Camden Council and Trading Standards it was identified that a council employee, Heath, had compiled a list of elderly vulnerable residents of Camden on his work computer, by accessing files he was not allowed to look at. A search warrant was obtained and Heath was arrested on 8 June 2016.
Forensic work was carried out on the items recovered by officers on 1 June 2016 and Kawsar Ahmed’s fingerprints were found on them. He was arrested on 6 November 2016.
The men were charged on Saturday, 11 March.
Detective Constable Neil Pilgrim, said: “Courier fraud is a despicable act that usually takes advantage against the elderly or otherwise vulnerable victims. These three criminals will have the festive period to reflect on their actions.
“The Met’s advice about courier fraud is that the police and your bank will never ask for your PIN number or your bank cards. If you are called and asked for these items – hang up straight away. The police will never call you at home and ask you for money, whatever the reason.”
Sayim Ahmed, 22, was found not guilty.
