Using the stolen credit card, a short while after this, our client made the first fraudulent transaction in the form of a £500 cash withdrawal from a cashpoint machine. Later that day, he went to the Harrods store in Knightsbridge and purchased a Leica camera to the value of £5890 again using the female’s credit card.

Whilst in the same store, he then attempted to purchase a Rolex watch to the value of £12,400. However as our client had already met the card’s daily limit of £6,000, the transaction was declined. Nevertheless, Harrods staff were made suspicious by the fact that he declined to provide any further ID when asked and simply took the card and walked away. Staff were also said to have been suspicious by the haste in which he selected a watch of such high value which he intended to buy.

Harrods’ security staff were made aware of this and proceeded to monitor the accused (by CCW) as he is seen to leave Harrods and enter a nearby watch shop where he is said to have made further attempt to purchase an expensive Rolex timepiece.

The accused was then subsequently approached by Harrods security staff who asked him to return to the store for questioning. It was clearly established that the credit card was not in his name and he was also found to have the previously withdrawn £500 cash on his person.

By this point, our client has realised that he had been found out but claimed that he had paid £250 for the credit card. The police were subsequently called and the accused was duly charged.

All of the fraudulently obtain goods and cash were recovered.