'Shameless and cowardly' thief jailed after Rickmansworth trick

Adeel Zabe stole debit and credit cards from four people in Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire before using them to withdraw cash.

His first victim was using an ATM in Ebury Road, Rickmansworth, when Zabe approached from behind and offered to help them, on August 28, 2019.

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He said the card hadn’t been pushed in far enough, then pocketed it as he pretended to show them how to do it properly, before convincing his victim to put in the pin.

When nothing happened, he claimed the machine must have swallowed the card.

Zabe left and said a council worker would be on the way to fix the machine and retrieve his card.

The victim then received two calls from Zabe posing as the council worker, telling him to stay at the location as he was on the way. Meanwhile £1,000 was withdrawn from the card.

DC Henry Longhurst said: “Zabe preyed on the vulnerable for his own financial gain. It’s an astoundingly shameless and cowardly crime which leaves victims feeling frightened and exposed.

“He has been remorseless throughout and I am pleased he has faced justice.”

Adeel Zabe (Image: Cambridgeshire Police)

The 27-year-old then repeated the trick on a woman in Chesterton Road, Cambridge, and a man in West Park Street, Chatteris, Cambridgeshire, on October 29, 2019.

Stolen cards were used to withdraw £2460 and £450 respectively.

Later that day, after watching a woman and a disabled man input their PIN at a supermarket in Ely, he followed them home to Sutton and asked to use their bathroom.

He stole the card while in the house and used it to withdraw £1,000 and then made four contactless purchases amounting to £120 in London.

He was identified through CCTV and cell phone data before being arrested in London on April 22, 2020, after being circulated as wanted.

Zabe, of Bishopsfield, Harlow, Essex, made no comment in interview and pleaded not guilty to all offences.

He was found guilty of three counts of theft, four counts of fraud by false representation, and burglary, before being sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on May 11.