Sneaky thief caught distracting victims while stealing cash from ATMs
Job Khoeseb went on a month-long crime spree last June and July, going after innocent people trying to take out money — the oldest victim he targeted was in her 80s
A sneaky thief was able to go on a month-long crime spree, stealing cash from unsuspecting victims at ATMs. He was able to steal thousands of pounds using distraction tactics to fool his victims into giving him the money.
Job Khoeseb, 28, deliberately targeted people as they went to withdraw money from cash machines in Strood and Chatham, both located in Kent. He used a variety of different moves to keep his victims on side before making off with the money they had been trying to take out.
However, the suspect was soon found and arrested by police after several reports were made of the man’s heinous actions. He has now been jailed for over two years as a result of his criminal actions.
Kent Police said that Khoeseb was not acting alone as he appeared to walk up to chat with customers during the scam. Whilst the victim was distracted speaking with the man, a hooded accomplice would sneak up behind them once their cards were in the ATM and withdraw the money without their knowledge.
In another horrific crime, he would even bring in the customers into the bank themselves to tell them that the ATM had taken their card without giving it back. However, whilst he brought the victim in to “complain” to the bank, the accomplice would once again seize the opportunity to drain the bank account of its funds.
In total, the pair took £2,150 in the space of just one month, targeting anyone and everyone that needed to use the cash machines. The oldest victim the pair went after was an elderly woman in her 80s.
Police soon identified the spate of different ATM-related thefts and linked them to three different vehicles that were being parked nearby. Eventually, the operation was brought down when they found a vehicle in Gravesend that they believed was involved in the attacks and stopped it.
Inside the car was London-based Khoeseb, as well as using medical masks that had looked similar to the ones used in the various thefts to hide the accomplice’s identity. Believing they had enough to charge him, Khoeseb was arrested and, after a search of his home, officers found keys belonging to the other cars used in the crime spree.
Appearing before Maidstone Crown Court earlier this month, Khoeseb pleaded guilty to multiple thefts after being charged with conspiring to steal from another person, which was later amended in court to six counts of theft and one of attempted theft. He went on to appear again on Friday (January 23), and was sentenced to two years and nine months in jail.
Speaking on the ruling, Detective Constable Hollie McBride from Kent Police said that the techniques meant many had no idea they were being targeted. “Khoeseb showed a blatant disregard for his victims and left them both out of pocket and feeling untrusting of the general public,” she explained.
“We commend his victims for reporting these crimes to us, as it led to his arrest and to his receiving time in prison. People should feel free to withdraw money as they please, however a healthy level of awareness regarding distraction thefts will prevent criminals such as Khoeseb from being able to operate.”
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