In a shocking tale of deception, 43-year-old Lee Print posed as a deceased woman to swindle thousands. After obtaining her financial details, he opened a bank account and accessed her civil service pension. His audacious fraud didn’t stop there. He even impersonated the woman during a call with a bank staff member, duping them into believing she was alive.
Print’s web of lies unraveled after he burgled a home in Rumney, Cardiff. The homeowner returned from a holiday to find items missing, including a TV, address books with sensitive info, and a Santander savings card. The account was drained of £640, and more personal belongings were taken, including watches, clothes, and toiletries. CCTV footage and DNA evidence eventually led the police to Print, who was found with the stolen card and a second card belonging to the deceased woman.
The story took an eerie turn when it was discovered the second victim had died a year earlier. Squatters had ransacked her property, and vital documents ended up in Print’s hands. He attempted to pocket more from her pension but managed to spend £1,117, including on a £700 scooter.
Arrested and claiming to have done gardening for the woman, Print was also caught with a small amount of heroin. With 19 prior theft and driving convictions, Print admitted to having a history of drug addiction. In a court hearing, his lawyer emphasized Print’s sobriety and responsibility as a father and grandfather.
Now free of drugs, he was sentenced to an 18-month community order with a rehabilitation requirement. Let’s hope he turns his life around for good!