Crime gang dupes pensioners out of £130k in minutes of knocking on doors - 'traumatised'
Three crooks forced their victims to hand over their PIN numbers
A crime gang has duped 85 pensioners out of £130,000 in a "traumatising" courier fraud scam. Three men from Havering, London, “tormented" elderly victims, impersonating bank staff over the phone before stealing their details at their front door, a court heard.
David Peter Reilly, Joseph Ituah and Uchechukwu Ihekwoaba worked as part of a larger criminal group which stole from 85 "vulnerable" people ranging in age from 70 to 94 years old. The three were sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Monday (June 22). Judge Leslie Cuthbert told them: "I urge you all to think, during your remaining time in custody, how you would have felt if it was your own elderly parent or grandparent who fell victim to this crime."
The court heard how the crooks would drive to their victim's homes after pretending to work for a bank online and explaining they needed a new bank card.
Within minutes of knocking on their front doors, the fraudsters would swap the pensioner’s bank card with a new one, usually stolen from another elderly person.
They would then force their victims to hand over their PIN, claiming they needed it to validate the card before withdrawing cash at a nearby ATM.
Reilly, 52, was jailed for two years and four months. Ihekwoaba, 25, was sentenced to two years and nine months. Ituah, 27, got three years and three months.
Prosecutor Ani Yehighian told the court: "Whilst the conspiracy included others unknown, these three men held key and trusted positions in the execution.
"Ituah and Ihekwoaba drove others to victims’ houses, Reilly was a passenger, and all three spoke to victims at their houses giving fake names. All three men would then use cards to withdraw money at ATMs."
Police identified a total of £132,149 stolen from 85 victims, of which 90% of the amount was repaid to the elderly individuals by banks.
Judge Cuthbert explained the crime manipulated the victims' vulnerabilities, with one person saying they were “tormented and traumatised by the whole incident”.
The judge said: "I’ve read the victim impact statement. Many reference feeling anxious and unsafe in their homes.
"Many worry they will be targeted again. Many question who they can trust."
The court heard Ituah, from Romford, had previous convictions for drug dealing and money laundering.
Ihekwoaba struggled to get a job after university and turned to crime, while Reilly went off the rails after becoming addicted to drugs.
Police advise that a bank will never call you and request cash or personal information, including handing over a bank card.
