A 'Casanova conman' who targeted his victims by accessing their external postboxes was the 'largest scale fraud' case one detective has ever dealt with.
Kevin Castle, 56, of Birkin Avenue in Radcliffe-on-Trent, went to multiple people's homes around the county and accessed postboxes located a distance away from their property.
Castle's crime spree ran from July 2020 until August 2021. He broke into letterboxes, stealing post and creating credit cards in his victim's names so he could withdraw money and fund his own lifestyle.
Detective Constable Simon Jones, from Nottinghamshire Police, has been part of the fraud team since 2020, and says it was 'definitely the largest scale of fraud' he has dealt with.
He said: "The first job we were aware of was late February 2021 in the Rushcliffe district.
"We started getting more reports linked to him in August and September, we had 400 different reports to go through that were linked to his mobile phones.
"The investigation expanded in September 2021.
"It's not something I've dealt with but it is a scheme we are aware of.
"I was managing other investigations but because of the number of victims it became main priority."
Nottingham Crown Court was told Castle had been found guilty of a number of similar offences back in 2012, 2014 and 2017.
He pleaded guilty to nine counts of fraud by false representation and one count of theft and was sentenced to four years and eight months imprisonment at Nottingham Crown Court (February 8) - he must serve half of this sentence before he is eligible for release.
Detective Constable Simon Jones says he was 'pleased' with the sentencing.
He added: "I wanted to make sure the victims feel like justice had been served and bring them a bit of satisfaction."
Castle has previously been nicknamed the "millionare shoplifter" and then the "Casanova conman" after wearing designer clothes and dining in fancy restaurants, The Express reports.
Castle had targeted a wide area of the East Midlands, including properties across Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and Leicestershire, according to the Detective Constable.
The most amount of money spent by Castle on a victim's credit card was £7,602.42.
Many of the other purchases from credit cards were day-to-day low-value items.
Det Con Jones says it was quite an unusual case with a complex investigation.
He added: "It was an old-style offence compared to modern day fraud. The most unusual thing was the sheer volume of victims - it's an awful lot of victims.
"It was the most detailed and complex investigation I'd ever dealt with.
"It was quite lengthy."
He has also offered advice to homeowners, saying it is worth considering removing post boxes that are far away from your property.
He added: "It's definitely worth considering having them removed or to make sure the lock is secure.
"It is worth reporting it, the perception is that nothing will come of it.
"Reporting it is a good idea.
"The general advice is to make sure you don't give out information over the phone which increases the risk."
Nottingham Crown Court was told that Castle first targeted a rural property in Nottinghamshire near the end of 2020, with the homeowner receiving documents for credit cards she had not paid for.
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