A COURIER who collected money from the elderly victims of an elaborate fake police investigation con has been put behind bars.

Vidunas Tutkus, 23, admitted six counts of fraud partway through a trial at Ipswich Crown Court.

A jury had heard how Tutkus had acted as part of a conspiracy to dupe elderly people out of their money by pressuring them into taking part in a bogus investigation into stolen money.

In an interview with police one of the victims, from Elmstead Market, described how she was pressured into handing over £10,000 across two days.

She received a call from a man claiming to be Detective Paul Williamson, from Hammersmith police station.

She was told someone had used her card to withdraw £13,000 from her account, and police were working together with her bank to catch the culprit.

“I thought ‘good gracious’,” she said.

“That really troubled me. To me, it sounded as if it was gospel.”

The pensioner was given the number to call a taxi and was instructed to travel to her bank and withdraw £5,000.

When she returned, the bogus detective was still on the line and asked her to read out serial numbers on the notes.

She was then told a courier would shortly arrive to collect the cash. When Tutkus arrived on her doorstep, she handed over the money.

She told police she was again asked to withdraw £5,000 the next day and went through the same process before handing over the cash to Tutkus.

“It is so stupid, I feel silly,” she said.

After Tutkus, of Malden Road, London, admitted the fraud charges, one count of conspiracy to commit fraud and one further count of fraud were left to lie on file.

He was sentenced to 19 months imprisonment.