Sign in

UK couple steals bank cards from gym goers to live a lavish lifestyle

The police identified the pattern of the couple and tracked them using CCTV. A total of 18 frauds were reported by them.

Published on: Jan 18, 2024, 11:12:13 IST
By
Share
Share via
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
Copy link
  • copy link

Ashley Singh, 39, and Sophie Bruyea, 20, a couple living in South London's Bromley, lived a luxurious lifestyle until the Metropolitan Police realised where their money was coming from. As per the police, the couple targeted people at a gym and maxed out their credit cards on expensive things.

A couple from the UK funded their luxurious lifestyle by stealing from others. (Unsplash)
A couple from the UK funded their luxurious lifestyle by stealing from others. (Unsplash)

The two would buy pricey items such as tech and designer gear, sell them and used the cash to buy bags, shoes, holidays, and a pedigree puppy. While they lived a fairytale life, their victims had money drained from their accounts and incurred massive losses.

Singh and Bruyea's lavish lifestyle met an abrupt end when a local police officer noticed a pattern and reported it to detectives who specialised in economic crime. Then, a Lewisham-based team used CCTV to track down their vehicles, phones and faces in order to connect them to every crime, reported the police.

There were 18 fraud reports in total, with 14 in the Metropolitan area, one from Sussex, one from Hertfordshire and two from Cambridgeshire, reported the police. (Also Read: ‘Bill is on us’: When a UK restaurant treated couple on their 50th wedding anniversary. Here’s why)

DC Luis Da Silva, from the Met’s economic crime team, said in the police statement, "You couldn’t fail to be moved by the devastating impact their 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."

He added, "We will now look to forfeit the proceeds of their crimes to try and help compensate those who went through this.”

  • Vrinda Jain
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Vrinda Jain

    Vrinda Jain is a journalist at Hindustan Times, specialising in viral trends and human stories from around the globe. With a flair for writing, Vrinda brings a unique perspective to the latest happenings, captivating readers with insightful and engaging narratives.Read More

Discover the latest Trending News, viral videos, social media stories and unusual events from India and around the world. Stay updated with the topics everyone is talking about.