Conwoman is locked up
A bogus social worker who conned thousands of pounds from elderly victims – including one aged 101 – has been jailed for five years.
A bogus social worker who conned thousands of pounds from elderly victims – including one aged 101 – has been jailed for five years.
Mother-of-one Ranjit Grewal struck up to 30 times at homes including several across the Black Country.
She convinced residents to hand over their bank account details so she could offer them discounts on gas bills and cold weather payments.
The 41-year-old would then withdraw large amounts of money from their bank accounts.
Smartly-dressed and with a well-spoken voice, Grewal even carried a clipboard to give her disguise authenticity.
Prosecuting, Mr Julian Elcock, said she got away with £9,300 from her victims, the oldest of which was a 101-year-old from Bloxwich and the youngest 59.
Mr Elcock told the court: "She would convince them she could help them sort out refunds on bills, particularly cold weather payments.
"Then she would use whatever information she could gain from their statements, such as gas bills, then purport to make the phone calls on their behalf.
"She would then obtain pin numbers for their bank cards by saying that payment was due to them."
She also stole £2,300 from a tin at the home of Irene Tonks, aged 89, and took a purse from another victim Beryl Crouch.
She was caught when police discovered her fingerprints at one of the addresses.
Mr Jas Mann, defending, told the court yesterday his client had debts, adding: "There is genuine remorse. She has written all the victims letters of apology."
Grewal, of Leicester, who struck at homes in Darlaston, Bentley, West Bromwich, Bloxwich and her home city, pleaded guilty to eight counts of burglary and three counts of theft at a previous hearing in Walsall.
Mr Elcock asked the court to take a further 21 offences with sums involving £1,120 to be taken into consideration
