Overview

• Newcastle Crown Court sentenced the two men after they pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal in a case centered on distraction thefts.
• Investigators from the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit and Northumbria Police led the probe, arresting the pair in July.
• The offending spanned August 2024 to April 2025 with 14 incidents across the North East and elsewhere, including Preston, Merseyside, Cheshire, Scarborough and London.
• Tactics included loitering in banks, silent signaling, coin-dropping ruses, faked falls, envelope swaps and intimidation, with one theft committed after entering a victim's home.
• Roughly £60,000 to £64,000 was stolen and not recovered, victims reported lasting anxiety, and any removal from the UK will be handled by the Home Office.