Fraud by false representation sentencing
Mon 01 Dec 2014
On Friday, 13 September 2013, the victim from Ealing received a phone call from a man purporting to be a police officer. The man told the victim that police had arrested two men with a cloned credit card with the victim’s card details. The victim was told that his card was required by police as evidence and that a courier would collect the card shortly. Five minutes later, Jalali arrived at the victim’s address wearing a high visibility jacket and collected the card.
On 4 September 2014, Royal Club restaurant operators’ B&T Catering Limited and Thapa pleaded guilty to five offences under the Food Hygiene (England) Regulations 2006 and a single offence under the General Food Regulations 2004.
Jalali left without collecting the victim’s cards and was stopped by police officers who had got out of their vehicle and were walking to the victim’s house. Jalali was asked where he had just come from and claimed that he had come from a friend’s house.
Police officers then went to the victim’s house and the victim described Jalali. Police officers then ran back to where they had seen Jalali and a member of public gave them the registration number of a vehicle that a male ran to and which made off in a hurry.
The officers began to make their way to the registered keepers address and whilst on their way, the vehicle was located and stopped. Jalali was in the vehicle but denied being the male outside the victim’s house.
He was arrested and taken to Acton Police Station. He gave a no comment interview but was later picked out by the victim in an identification parade.
Checks on Jalali’s phones revealed that one in his possession was used to call the victim.
DC Talat Taj, Ealing CID, said: "Unfortunately, despite publicity around the different methods of courier fraud, this crime is still occurring usually targeting the most vulnerable members of our society."
"Police will never send a so-called 'courier' to collect bank or credit cards under any circumstances. So if anyone receives a call of this nature, hang up immediately and call police on 101 from a different telephone line, as the caller may still be on the line, or 999 if the crime is in action. Alternatively report the matter in person at your local police station."
"If couriers or taxi drivers are asked to collect a package from an elderly person and it is believed to be a bank or credit card, do not deliver it to the intended recipient but call police immediately."
"If anyone recognises Jalali from his picture and have handed over bank or credit cards to him, please contact police on 101"If you have a local news story, share it with the rest of Southall, by using the contact form.
