Thieves Admit ASDA Cash-Back Scam

A greedy group of thieves, who exploited ASDA's new self-service system to repeatedly steal cash back from the automated machines, have admitted their "nice little earner," and await sentencing.

Ringleader Mark Baldock, 34, of Sydney Road, Sutton (pic.top r.) pleaded guilty to stealing £318; Tyron Parsons, 22, of Washington Road, Worcester Park (pic.top l.) admitted stealing £1,200; Keeley Macaree, 22, of Senga Road, Wallington (pic.bottom r.) admitted stealing £2,350 and Claire Collins, 28, of Kingston Avenue, Sutton admitted stealing £866.

Keeley's twin sister Geraldine Macaree, 22, (pic.bottom l.) pleaded not guilty to stealing £7,500 and the prosecution offered no evidence.

The thefts from ASDA took place between December 27 and January 3, this year.

Baldock opened the card account on November 22 and it was not used for anything else, but the scam, which involved the defendants pocketing cash-back money given to customers.

The Recorder of Croydon Warwick McKinnon said: "We are dealing here with a nice little criminal venture with repeated attempts to exploit this quirk in the system.

"This, on the face of it is organised crime.

"This is slightly easier than shoplifting. You get the money and leave and no one is going to stop you.

"Baldock was the driving force behind this nice little earner. He is the number one whose brainchild this is."

Couple Baldock and Collins are serial shoplifters and she has thirty-six previous convictions, mostly for theft.

Parsons has forty-eight convictions and Keeley a record for alcohol-related offending.