Woman stole thousands after befriending elderly couple with dementia
TWO-YEAR SENTENCE FOR FRAUDSTER WHO TOOK CARD AND WITHDREW CASH FROM BANK
A WOMAN befriended an elderly couple with dementia before stealing their bank card and spending hundreds of pounds on takeaways, food and shopping.
Chantay Finch stole more than £1,300 from the vulnerable pair last year and also withdrew £5,000 in a single transaction from their bank account. However, this was recovered when a relative spotted the activity.
The family’s suspicions were raised after the victim’s carer told them that Finch was found inside the Sneinton house and food shopping had already been bought for him.
The family visited the home and were shocked to see Finch’s clothes were left lying around and £100 had reportedly gone missing that had been left for the victim and his carer to be spent on food.
The vulnerable man was living alone at the time while his wife was ill in hospital, when Finch, who posed as a woman called Kelly, walked into the dining room during a visit by other family members.
Finch was challenged before the family members threatened to call the police, panicking her before she became aggressive and demanded more money.
She was offered £5 to leave before Finch aggressively put her own hand inside the carer’s purse and started shouting.
Finch eventually left, having been handed £20 as the carer was in fear of being assaulted.
A second carer arrived later that evening and saw that the family members, who were still with the victim, were distressed, so they rang police on their behalf.
Officers were called to St Stephen’s Road in Sneinton on May 27 after reports of theft and unauthorised use of a bank card.
Finch was arrested days later when officers spotted and recognised her with another elderly person from CCTV footage.
The footage clearly showed a bow-shaped tattoo on her lower back which matched a previous description of Finch.
She was charged and remanded in June last year and had been in prison on remand since.
Officers were able to trace transactions made in West Bridgford and Clifton and locate CCTV footage which showed Finch using the victims’ bank card.
Her fingerprints were also found at the address where the money was stolen.
The 28-year-old, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to theft and 10 counts of fraud.
She was sentenced to two years and two months in prison at Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday.
Detective Constable Richard Naylor, of Nottinghamshire Police, led the investigation.
He said: “The couple were extremely vulnerable which was made worse due to the fact that the country had gone into full lockdown at the time, and it was only the actions of a carer and an extended family relative that discovered this was happening.
“I would encourage everyone to be vigilant against fraud and to share advice on how to protect yourself with elderly or vulnerable friends and relatives.
“We are committed to tackling fraud through both enforcement and education.
“You can find advice on how to guard against fraud and how to report it on our website.
“Hopefully this case will serve as a wake-up call to anyone else hoping to turn a profit through deception. I also hope this highlights our commitment to protecting the most vulnerable in our society.”