Man who used stolen debit card to withdraw cash at City of London banks jailed

A man who used a stolen debit card and driving licence in an attempt to withdraw large sums of money from banks across the City of London has been jailed.

Humphrey Odunwo, 33, of Great Cambridge Road, Cheshunt, EN8, pleaded guilty to 17 offences, including theft and possession of articles with intent to defraud. He was jailed for seven months at Inner London Crown Court on 25 November 2021.

Odunwo visited eight banks across the City of London between 3pm and 6pm on Wednesday 26 February 2020. He used a stolen debit card and driving licence to withdraw £850 across four branches.

He was refused cash at the final branch he visited after the cashier was alerted to his scam through an internal memo and he failed to answer the necessary security questions.

He was subsequently arrested and interviewed by the City of London Police, where they found further documents, including an additional bank card and driving licence that were not in his name.

Acting Detective Sergeant Thomas Prosser, from the City of London Police, said:

“The owner of the stolen card and driving licence, bank staff and financial crime associates all played their part in making it difficult for this criminal to operate. By working together with all those in our communities, we can tackle crime more effectively.

“The fact that further documents were found in Odunwo’s possession shows this was not a one off occurrence and we are pleased he is no longer on the streets and able to cause harm.

“We want to ensure that people can live in and visit the City of London safely. Our officers are on hand day and night to prevent crime and provide help and reassurance. If you see something that doesn’t seem right or you need assistance, please let us know.”