PAIR STOLE DIAMONDS, SAPPHIRES AND EMERALDS IN CRUEL STIRLINGSHIRE CON
The victim of a cruel con in Stirlingshire handed precious diamonds, sapphires and emeralds to callous crooks.The pair made off with tens of thousands pounds’ worth of items after pretending to be police officers to an elderly couple.
The victim, in her 80s, said brazen criminals Benjamin Payne and Alexander Rush terrified her and her now-deceased husband into handing over a box of gems.
She said they even called the following day to assure them their property was safely under lock and key in police custody.
As one man was jailed at Stirling Sheriff Court for his part in the crime his victim said she did not know why she and her husband had been singled out.
The Courier has chosen not to identify her or the location of the crime, such is her fear she could be targeted again.
She said £100,000 of jewellery was taken, although the figure given in court was £80,000.
She said: “Why they earmarked us, I don’t know.
They were very clever.
“They said they were police and there was someone coming up the lane and they had my address and they had a machete and they were obviously going to break in.
“They gave me the fear of death.
“They said ‘what valuables do they have?’ “I said we didn’t have any but they said ‘you must have rings and things’.
“I gave them the whole box of jewellery.
“They even phoned the next day to say ‘how are you?’ and ‘Your jewellery is safe in the depot in Glasgow’.
“They were villains.
I’m glad one of them got the nick.” She said none of the jewellery had been recovered, leaving her with little to hand down to her daughter and granddaughter.
Payne, of Barnsley, admitted acting with others and pretending to be police officers and members of the Bank of Scotland fraud squad to induce the woman to hand over bank cards and jewellery in June 2023.
The 28-year-old further admitted using her bank card to withdraw money from a cash machine in Glasgow.
Co-accused Rush, of Coatbridge, pled guilty to using the bank card to withdraw money.
Jailing Payne for 27 months, Sheriff Euan Gosney told him: “This court has a duty to protect the vulnerable in society.
“You had no consideration for the effect this offence would have on your victim.” Rush, 35, is currently serving a prison sentence for unrelated offences.
Sheriff Gosney deferred sentence on him until May.
