To watch this video, please activate JavaScript and think about updating to a browser that
supports HTML5
video
A pair of individuals schemed to exploit card machines at small businesses, managing to steal significant sums of money by deceiving the machines into processing refunds instead of payments.
Abdullah Said-Ahmed, aged 29, and Tahir Mohammed, aged 30, utilized a strategy where they instructed store employees to input their personal identification numbers into the card terminals under the guise of making payments for purchases.
However, rather than entering a PIN, the duo manipulated the system to authorize refunds to various bank accounts, resulting in a theft amounting to over £5,000.
They both confessed to two charges of conspiring to engage in fraudulent activities and were recently given sentences at Bristol Crown Court.
Said-Ahmed received a suspended prison term of 14 months, valid for 18 months, and was ordered to perform 150 hours of unpaid community work, while Mohammed was handed a suspended jail sentence of 23 months, to be completed within 18 months, along with 200 hours of unpaid community service.
A third accomplice, Omar Said-Baker, aged 30 and also from Brent, London, pleaded guilty to the same offenses but absconded from the sentencing hearing.
A warrant has been issued for the apprehension of Said-Baker.
The trio’s illicit activities were uncovered when law enforcement intercepted a vehicle using counterfeit license plates on the M4 motorway.
Following a search of the car, officers discovered a considerable amount of high-end attire and numerous credit and debit cards, four of which were in Said-Baker’s name.
Further investigations tied the three perpetrators to the refund deception, and CCTV footage demonstrated how at least one of them would divert the attention of the store attendant during the fraudulent transactions.
Several small independent establishments fell victim to their actions between February and March 2019 in the vicinity of Cabot Circus, with the total amount stolen adding up to thousands of pounds.
Det. Sgt. Louise Sinclair, part of the Complex Fraud Team, commented on the case, noting that the trio callously pocketed substantial amounts from the coffers of modest shops and eateries.
She expressed her hope that the investigation provides reassurance to small business proprietors, emphasizing that despite the intricacies of such probes, every effort will be exerted to ensure that those jeopardizing livelihoods face justice.
Sinclair also urged store personnel to remain vigilant, prohibit customers from handling payment devices, and promptly report any suspicious activity or crime to the authorities.
Reach out to our news team via email at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more similar narratives, explore our news section.
