Couple jailed for stealing credit cards to buy £250K worth of holidays and designer items
A man, 39, and a woman, 20, have been jailed after they were caught stealing credit cards to buy themselves holidays and a pedigree puppy.
Ashley Singh and Sophie Bruyea, of Widmore Road, Bromley, were sentenced at Croydon Crown Court on Wednesday of last week for conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation between January 2022 and January 2023, with a total value of £250,000.
Singh was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment and Bruyea was sentenced to 20 months at a young offender institution – suspended for two years – a rehabilitation programme and 120 hours of unpaid work.
The pair would visit gyms and, while victims were exercising, Singh would rifle through their lockers and steal credit cards.
They would then max out the stolen cards on expensive technology and designer gear, before selling them on and using the cash to buy bags, shoes, holidays – and even a pedigree puppy.
A team of Lewisham officers managed to trace the pair’s phones, cars and faces on CCTV and linked the crimes.
Police arrested the pair at Gatwick Airport on January, 27, 2023 as they returned from Paris with 2,000 Euros worth of designer goods.
A total of 18 people were targeted in what the sentencing judge branded a “wicked conspiracy”.
The judge described the impact the pair’s “wide-ranging spree” had had on people, including instances where people no longer felt safe around strangers, or had suffered professionally due to the stress.
There were 18 fraud reports in total, with 14 in the Met area, one from Sussex, one from Hertfordshire and two reports from Cambridgeshire.
Detective Constable Luis Da Silva, who investigated this case, said: “You couldn’t fail to be moved by the devastating impact Singh and Bruyea’s callous behaviour had on people, and we hope that by catching them this offers victims a little bit of solace.
“I would urge anyone who has had something stolen to get in touch, because we do want to drive down this crime and go after those who target the public.
“We will now look to forfeit the proceeds of their crimes to try and help compensate those who went through this.”
Pictured top: Ashley Singh was sentenced to three years in prison (Picture: The Met)
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