Indian-origin man, girlfriend steal bank cards from gym lockers to fund lavish lifestyle, arrested

The 18 victims in total suffered massive financial stress after their accounts were maxed out.

A UK-based couple were recently sentenced for stealing bank and SIM cards from gym lockers to fund their lavish lifestyle. Indian-origin Ashley Singh, 39, and Sophie Bruyea, 20, targeted about 18 people for over a year, stealing bank cards and maxing out their limits.

According to The Sun, the couple from Bromley stole around 250,000 pounds from the lockers of gym-goers. They used that money to flaunt their lavish lifestyle on social media, including luxury holidays in Dubai and the Amalfi Coast. They also bought a designer puppy and splurged on designer clothing. The pair, according to the report, hit gyms across London and the South-East for a year.

However, the couple's 'fairytale-life' ended after a team based out of Lewisham traced the couple's phones, cars and faces on CCTV.

The couple were arrested last year in January at Gatwick Airport as they returned from Paris with 2,000 Euros of designer goods.

The 18 victims in total suffered massive financial stress after their accounts were maxed out. They were both convicted of conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation between January 2022 and January 2023. While Singh was handed a jail sentence of three years, Bruyea was sentenced to 20 months at a young offenders’ institute, suspended for two years, a rehabilitation programme and 120 hours of unpaid work.

"We know Londoners are worried about theft. It's a horrible crime, and it causes a lot of stress, pain, and financial loss. That's why we take this crime seriously and a whole team of us were committed to catching Singh and Bruyea," DC Luis Da Silva, from the Met police department, said.

"You couldn't fail to be moved by the devastating impact their callous behaviour had on people, and we hope that catching them offers victims a little bit of solace. I would urge anyone who has had something stolen to get in touch because we do want to drive down this crime and go after those who target the public. We will now look to forfeit the proceeds of their crimes to try and help compensate those who went through this."