How woman serial shoplifter defrauded retail giants of ₹5 crore
Narinder Kaur, a 54-year-old woman from Cleverton, United Kingdom, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for scamming over 1,000 stores nationwide. Kaur accumulated about ₹5.35 crore by stealing products and returning them without receipts, claiming to have lost them. During the sentencing, Judge Ian Lawrie KC called her as a "thoroughly dishonest individual," who found a way of "beating the system" by convincing businesses to pay her the full value of the items she stole.
Kaur's fraudulent scheme spanned across the UK
The stores she targeted included Debenhams, Homebase, John Lewis, House of Fraser, Monsoon, and M&S, among others. Kaur's fraudulent activities extended across various locations in the UK, including Solihull, Worcester, Cheltenham and others. After stealing items and returning them without receipts, she would purchase a low-value item to obtain a legitimate receipt. This receipt was then used to secure refunds for the stolen goods. Her scheme allowed her to travel extensively throughout the country, deceiving retailers in numerous cities.
Kaur's deception extended beyond retail fraud
In addition to retail fraud, Kaur also deceived eight law firms by suing her brother with the help of accomplices who used stolen credit cards. The compensation paid was subsequently forwarded to her. She further attempted to defraud Wiltshire Council out of £7,400 by overpaying with stolen credit cards and then requesting a refund for the excess amount.
Kaur's continued deception after arrest
Kaur first came to Wiltshire Police's attention in 2016 for theft. In August 2020, the Wiltshire and West Mercia forces conducted a joint inquiry. She continued even though she was aware she was being investigated. She was caught in October 2020 when she attempted to fraudulently return things for a refund at a retail park. Despite being on court bail, Kaur's crimes continued, and she was arrested in May 2021 for attempting to return stolen products to Asda stores.
