Man who preyed on elderly shopper at St Albans Waitrose jailed for four months
Aurelian Ramadan, 43, was sentenced to four months in prison after stealing a debit card and £500 from an elderly victim on February 6. - Credit: Archant
A man who watched his elderly victim pay for her shopping before stealing her debit card and £500 from her bank account has been jailed for four months.
Aurelian Ramadan, 43, from Coventry, targeted the 84-year-old woman along with another man as the pensioner typed in her pin while shopping at Waitrose in Mayne Avenue, St Albans on Saturday February 6.
Ramadan and Gheorghe Ghimis, 37, also from Coventry, then followed the woman back to her nearby home, with one distracting her whilst the second stole her debit card.
£500 was removed from the victim’s account moments later.
Ramadan was arrested, charged and sent to prison on February 12 at St Albans Magistrates Court, and must also pay the victim £300 in compensation.
Ghimis was arrested and charged with theft of a person and fraud.
He pleaded not guilty to the offences and is currently in custody. His trial has been set for Monday April 4.
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St Albans Chief Inspector Ken Townsend said: “This is a despicable style of offending, preying on an elderly and vulnerable woman.
“It is especially worse as he followed her to her home.
“I’m pleased that he has been put behind bars.”
