Three Fraudsters Jailed Over £60k Scam Targeting 47 Elderly Victims
A ruthless gang that conned 47 pensioners out of £60,000 across Kent and beyond have finally been locked up for over eight years combined.
The scam masterminded by Aaron Leacock, Warren Roache, and Sean Lee mainly targeted the elderly—almost all victims were 70 or older. Their despicable crimes spanned Gravesend, Dartford, Maidstone, West Kingsdown, and even as far as Essex, Hertfordshire, Hampshire, South London, and Northamptonshire.
The Scam: Heartless Fraud on Vulnerable Pensioners
The crooks used a familiar trick: victims got calls from fraudsters pretending to be bank staff. They’d claim there was a problem requiring a courier to pick up their bank cards. To fool their victims, they asked ‘security’ questions and gathered personal details.
Once they collected the cards, Roache and Lee drained the victims’ accounts, withdrawing cash or buying goods near the victims’ homes—or occasionally near their own addresses.
Caught Red-Handed: How Police Nabbed the Scammers
Detectives uncovered the fraudsters’ use of burner phones, often discarded after just days to hide their tracks. But detailed call data revealed many calls came from Purley High Street, close to where Leacock rented an office.
Covert CCTV helped piece together the evidence. Police caught Roache’s car, stopped for an unrelated matter in Sussex, carrying a phone and SIM linked to the scam calls. Messages on the phone named several victims.
CCTV from stores where stolen cards were used showed Lee repeatedly topping up burner phones or buying goods with the victims’ cards.
Leacock and Roache were arrested in March 2019. Lee was detained later that August. No further offences happened after arrests, and CPS charged them in November 2020.
Sentences Served
- Aaron Leacock, 34, South Croydon: 27 months, served alongside a five-year sentence for other crimes. Linked to all 47 offences.
- Warren Roache, 38, Orpington: Three years and two months for 37 offences.
- Sean Lee, 40, South Norwood: 20-week suspended sentence for 10 offences.
Police Condemn ‘Deplorable’ Crime
Detective Superintendent Patrick Milford said: “These offenders targeted vulnerable elderly people deliberately. They caused huge distress, leaving victims feeling betrayed by people they thought they could trust. Their actions are completely deplorable.”
“I’m pleased police uncovered the scam and secured justice. Custodial sentences were the only appropriate punishment and mean these criminals can’t prey on innocent people anymore.”
“This sort of scam can hit anyone. Banks or the police will never call asking for your full PIN, banking passwords, or ask you to hand over money to a courier. If you’re unsure about a call, hang up and dial the organisation back using a trusted number.”
