Fraudster Jailed for Using Stolen Bank Cards on Muffins and Scratch Cards
A brazen thief has been locked up for a year after using stolen bank cards to splash out on scratch cards, cigarettes and even a breakfast muffin.
Thomas Arnold’s Shopping Spree on Stolen Cash
Thomas Arnold, 29, of no fixed address, admitted 12 counts of fraud by false representation and two of handling stolen goods. The court heard he used stolen bank cards to make a dozen transactions across Strood and Ashford from March to April 2019.
- Between 11-13 March, Arnold used two stolen cards to buy mobile phone credit and scratch cards worth £219 from Ashford service stations.
- The cards were taken during a burglary on Henderson Avenue, Ashford, on 11 March.
- On 27 April, Arnold used another stolen card in Strood to buy cigarettes and a breakfast muffin, totalling £65.
- This card was stolen during a burglary in Hartington Street, Chatham, on the same day.
Detective Slams ‘Opportunistic and Deceitful’ Criminal
“Arnold’s willingness to use other people’s bank cards for his own means clearly shows him to be an opportunistic and deceitful offender,” said Detective Constable Dan Bister, Kent Police’s lead investigator. “He showed little regard for the distress his offending would cause and it is entirely appropriate he has received a custodial sentence.”
Arnold also admitted being a passenger in a vehicle reported stolen during the Chatham burglary.
The 29-year-old was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court on 19 August 2019 and will now serve a year behind bars.
