Fraud Gang Jailed for Targeting 47 Elderly Victims and Stealing £60,000
Three fraudsters who conned 47 pensioners out of £60,000 have been locked up for over eight years combined. The financial predators, Aaron Leacock, Warren Roache, and Sean Lee, targeted mainly elderly victims aged 70 or over, with most of their crimes committed across Kent.
The Shocking Scam
The scam hit victims in Gravesend, Dartford, West Kingsdown, Maidstone, and Penshurst, as well as Essex, Hertfordshire, Hampshire, South London, and Northamptonshire. The gang’s method was chillingly consistent.
- Victims received phone calls from fraudsters pretending to be their bank.
- Callers claimed a courier would come to collect the victim’s bank card due to a ‘problem’.
- To seem legit, the scammers asked ‘security’ questions, fishing for sensitive personal info.
- Once cards were collected, Roache and Lee either withdrew cash or bought goods nearby the victims’ homes. Sometimes, stolen cards were used near the criminals’ homes.
How Cops Cracked the Case
The fraudsters used unregistered “burner” phones and prepaid SIM cards, discarding them after a few days to avoid detection. But sleuths tracked calls back to the Purley High Street area—close to where Leacock rented an office.
Evidence stacked high with phone data proving Leacock made the calls. CCTV footage from near victims’ homes and shops where stolen cards were used helped crack the case. Warren Roache’s vehicle was spotted by Sussex Police, who found a phone linked to fraudulent calls inside. Texts on the phone contained names and addresses of victims.
The gang members were picked up between March and August 2019. The Crown Prosecution Service charged them after reviewing the mountain of evidence in November 2020.
Harsh Sentences for Callous Crime
- Aaron Leacock, 34, from South Croydon, got 27 months. This runs alongside a five-year jail term for similar crimes. Leacock was involved in all 47 offences.
- Warren Roache, 38, of Orpington, was sentenced to three years and two months for 37 offences.
- Sean Lee, 40, from South Norwood, London, received a 20-week suspended sentence for 10 offences.
Police Condemn Callous Scandal
Detective Superintendent Patrick Milford said: “These offenders systematically preyed on the elderly after identifying them as vulnerable. They caused huge distress, leaving victims feeling deceived and betrayed. Their actions are completely deplorable.”
“I’m pleased we unraveled their criminal pattern and secured justice. Custodial sentences are the only acceptable result to protect the public from such predators.”
He warned: “Banks or police will never ask for your full PIN, password, or to hand over money to couriers. If in doubt, always call back using a trusted number or check with family before acting.”
