Heartless Fraudster Jailed for Robbing 84-Year-Old Granny of £20k
Dean Clarke, 30, of Blackburn, has been locked up for four years after scamming nearly £20,000 from a vulnerable 84-year-old woman in Warrington.
Granny Targeted by Sham Bank Caller
The con began on 23 June when Clarke, pretending to be from the victim’s bank fraud team, contacted her. Shortly after, an accomplice turned up at her home to collect her bank card and details.
Over the following six days, a string of fraudulent transactions wiped out tens of thousands from her bank accounts. In total, the victim lost around £50,000, with Clarke admitting responsibility for £20,000 of the stolen cash. He also tried to chip away another £20,000, but these attempts failed at the tills.
Police Nail Clarke with CCTV Evidence
Cheshire Constabulary sprang into action after the crime was reported. Their investigation yielded CCTV footage showing Clarke using the victim’s card at eleven different locations.
“I welcome the sentence that has been handed to Clarke, who exploited an 84-year-old woman and cleaned out her entire life savings,” said Detective Constable Joe Davies.
“Clarke knew what he was doing by targeting the most vulnerable in our communities and held no regard for the victim or the law.”
“I would like to praise the victim for coming forward and helping us bring Clarke to justice and shine a light on the real impact that this crime can have on people’s lives.”
“We treat all allegations of fraud seriously and I encourage anyone who believes that they, or someone that they know, has been a victim to report it.”
“You will be listened to, and we will do all that we can to ensure that the people responsible are held accountable for their actions.”
The sentence sends a clear message: preying on the elderly won’t be tolerated.
