£60,000 Scam Targeting Elderly Pensioners Ends in Jail
Senior Victims Duped Across Kent and Beyond
Three fraudsters have been locked up for a total of more than eight years after stealing £60,000 from 47 elderly victims, mostly aged 70 and over. The scams were mainly carried out in Kent, hitting towns like Gravesend, Dartford, West Kingsdown, Maidstone, and Penshurst, but also spilling into Essex, Hertfordshire, Hampshire, south London, and Northamptonshire.
The Scam: ‘Bank Courier’ Trick
The con artists targeted pensioners by posing as bank officials. Victims received phone calls warning them of supposed issues with their bank cards, with a fake ‘courier’ dispatched to collect their cards. Using a false sense of security, the scammers asked personal questions to gather sensitive information.
Once in possession of the cards, co-conspirators Warren Roache and Sean Lee withdrew cash or bought goods near victims’ homes. On some occasions, cards were also used close to the fraudsters’ own addresses.
How Police Caught the Crooks
- Calls came from burner phones with unregistered prepaid SIMs, discarded after short use.
- Call data linked many calls to the Purley High Street area, near Aaron Leacock’s rented office.
- CCTV near victims’ homes and local shops revealed the suspects and their vehicle.
- A Sussex Police stop in October 2018 found Warren Roache’s car containing phones and SIM cards tied to the scam.
- Video footage showed Lee buying phone top-ups and using stolen cards multiple times.
Leacock and Roache were arrested in March 2019; Lee followed in August. After thorough investigations and CPS approval, they faced court in March 2022.
Sentences Handed Down
- Aaron Leacock, 34, of South Croydon — 27 months, served alongside a five-year term for other crimes. He played a part in all 47 offences.
- Warren Roache, 38, of Orpington — three years and two months for 37 offences.
- Sean Lee, 40, of South Norwood — 20 weeks suspended for 10 offences.
Detective’s Warning
Detective Superintendent Patrick Milford said: “These offenders ruthlessly targeted vulnerable elderly people, causing immense distress. Their actions are utterly deplorable.”
“We’re glad to have stopped them and brought justice. A custodial sentence was the only fitting outcome.”
“Remember: your bank or the police will never ask for your full PIN or passwords, nor will they send a courier to collect your card. If you get a suspicious call, hang up and call back on a trusted number or speak to a family member.”
