Two Romanian robbers who were part of an organised crime gang which targeted the elderly and infirm across the South of England have both been jailed for six years.
Ioan Hutup, 30, of Rowley Garden, North London, and Elena Batan, 38, of Dock Road, Barking, Essex, had previously pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to steal, conspiracy to rob, conspiracy to burgle and conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation. The offences took place between February and November 2011 in Bedfordshire - Caddington, Leighton Buzzard and Wingrave – Sussex, Buckinghamshire and Surrey.
Today (15 June) at Luton Crown Court it was revealed that the duo had followed people at supermarket checkouts, recorded their pin numbers then followed them to their home address where a distraction burglary - usually involving asking for directions – was committed. The pair then used the pin numbers which they had noted earlier to withdraw cash and buy luxury items on the card before it was cancelled.
The first offence occurred on 14 February, 2011, in Caddington Road, Luton after the 57-year-old female victim had been at Tesco in Skimpot Lane, Dunstable. As the victim stopped to key in a security pass to an electronic gate she was asked for directions to Manchester by Hutup who then produced a map. As the victim assisted, her purse was stolen and £500 was withdrawn from her account while £1110 worth of goods were purchased.
On 20 September, 2011, the pair tried to steal £1000 from an 80-year-old man in Worthing, Sussex, having previously seen him withdraw the cash from a bank. They followed the victim onto a bus and then tried to rob him as he entered his home address but they escaped with only a worthless receipt.
On 4 October, 2011, a 91-year-old man was the victim of a distraction burglary at his home in Heath Road, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire. He had earlier been to a Tesco store where Hutup and Batan saw his pin number at the till and then helped the man load his shopping into his mobility scooter. Later in the day, the pair called at his house asking for directions to London. The victim let them in, but while getting them both a drink of water, his bank card was stolen. The pair withdrew £300 in cash and bought £222.74 worth of fragrances before the card was reported stolen.
On 13 October, 2011, an 82-year-old female had her pin details recorded while shopping at Morrisons in Lake Street, Leighton Buzzard. When she returned to her home in Cotefield Drive, she was approached by a man and asked for directions. Whilst distracted, she had debit card stolen from her handbag and £200 withdrawn from her account while £549.99 was spent on electrical goods.
Four days later on 17 October, 2011, a female had been shopping at Tesco in Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, but when she returned to her home in Staines Road East, she was approached by Hutup who asked for directions. A woman with the offender (not believed to be Batan) became ill and the victim invited them into her home for a glass of water. Once inside a card was taken from the victim’s purse and subsequently used to withdraw £300 in cash.
On 7 November, the pair noted the pin number of a 70-year-old woman who had been shopping at the Tesco store in Vimy Road, Leighton Buzzard. When she returned to her home in Baldways Close, Wingrave, she was asked for directions to Birmingham. As she assisted, her credit card was stolen and used to buy a laptop computer (£749.99) and other electrical goods valued at £599.99. The card was also used in an attempt to buy over £1200 worth of goods but was rejected.
On the same day another distraction burglary took place in Tournay Court, Slapton, Buckinghamshire, after the 82-year-old victim had been shopping at the Morrisons store in Lake Street, Leighton Buzzard. She was approached by the offenders and asked for directions to Birmingham but then Batan claimed to feel unwell and was taken into the victim’s home for a drink. When the victim returned to the living room, she caught Batan trying to steal her purse before the offenders fled empty handed.
A final offence occurred on 16 November, 2011, in Horsham Surrey when a 71-year-old female victim was asked for directions to London having been shopping at a nearby Tesco. She became suspicious and fobbed the pair off, but ten minutes later as she unloaded her car, another man asked for the same directions. She told him to go away, but later in the day she realised that her purse had been stolen from a handbag which had been left in the house. The card that the victim had used earlier in the day wasn’t in the purse though and the other cards were useless to the offenders.
Following the sentencing Detective Sergeant Sebastian Greschner from the South Bedfordshire Serious Crime Team, said: “Hutup and Batan caused a huge amount of upset and stress to some very vulnerable victims and I am very pleased that the judge has noted the seriousness of these crimes and sent down a ?? year sentence to the pair.
“This is an appropriate time to remind everyone to take some extra precautions when out shopping. This duo succeeded by noting people’s pin as they paid for their shopping and then following them to their homes to steal the cards using distraction methods. It is so important to protect your pin when at the checkout and never write the number down in case you forget it.”
