An 88-year-old woman was conned out of £2 million by a criminal gang who tricked her into purchasing gold bullion, which was later stolen from her.
Elizabeth St John, who lives in the Borders, was targeted by a fraudster posing as an official from the Financial Conduct Authority. The scammer, who called himself “Garry Reid,” manipulated her into believing her money was at risk, convincing her to invest in the gold. The bullion was delivered to her home in Skirling, near Biggar, but was soon collected by individuals posing as “couriers.”
At one point, the elderly woman even expressed her gratitude to Reid, saying, “Thank you for all you have done for me.” However, instead of being kept in safe hands, the gold was transported to London and disappeared further into the criminal network.
Police launched Operation Tailpiece, which led to the arrests of Sunil Theyath, Hafeeza Samreen, and Umar Mohammed. Reid, the mastermind behind the scam, has not been located. Theyath, 40, coordinated the operation, directing others, including the married couple Mohammed, 40, and Samreen, 35, to retrieve the stolen bullion under the pretext of courier collection. By that time, Theyath had already returned to India.
Investigations are ongoing, as police continue their search for Reid and work to trace the stolen gold.
