Ruislip & Eastcote & Northwood Gazette
Thief preyed on pensioner she befriended
WOMAN STOLE £30K FROM ELDERLY VICTIM WHO TRUSTED HER WITH CARDS
A WOMAN who stole a frail pensioner’s life savings has been sent to jail for two and a half years.
Angela Corbett, 47, of Patrons Way West, Denham, befriended the victim, who is in her 80s, while staying with her mother at an assisted living housing development for the elderly at Denham Garden Village.
The defendant stole more than £35,000 from her over a 17-month period.
The crime was only spotted when the victim, who has since been transferred to a specialist dementia facility and is unable to look after herself, was unable to pay her rent because of insufficient funds.
Between April 2014 and August 2015, both women were living at the facility and Corbett gained the elderly woman’s trust as well as her bank card and PIN number, initially to help her with shopping, paying bills and day-to-day expenses.
Corbett began to withdraw increasing amounts of money at a time from the victim’s current account and even transferred money from her ISA savings account to her current account to be withdrawn.
Thames Valley Police arrested Corbett on August 26, 2015, and charged her in connection with the offences the following month, on September 21.
Corbett had pleaded guilty to one charge of theft totalling £30,000 on March 2, 2017 and was sentenced, at Aylesbury Crown Court on Wednesday April 5.
Case investigator Kevin Clingham, of Taplow, said: “A total sum of £35,962.50 was withdrawn from the victim’s current account between 21 April 2014 and 20 August 2015 – 239 separate cash withdrawal transactions took place. “This translated to an average of one cash withdrawal every two days between these dates.
“In December 2014, 29 sepa- rate transactions took place over a 31 day period and more than £5,000 was withdrawn during this month.
“When Corbett was arrested she claimed that Betty gave her permission to spend her money. Up to her trial she maintained her innocence.
“The crime was only uncovered when carers acting for the victim discovered she could not pay her rent one month because of insufficient funds.
“If Corbett had not been so greedy and reduced the victim’s account to zero, there is every likelihood that she could have continued spending the victim’s money without being discovered.
“Sadly the victim has now been admitted to a specialist dementia care home as she is unable to look after herself.
“Thames Valley Police takes all reports of such offences seriously and I would advise keeping credit and debit cards safe and not to divulge your PIN number .
“I’m pleased that Corbett has admitted her wrongdoing and will have time in custody to reflect upon her actions.”
I’m pleased Corbett will have time in custody to reflect upon her actions Case investigator Kevin Clingham