Coventry man banned from every shop in city centre after massive credit card fraud

A Coventry man has been banned from entering all shops and businesses in the city centre, after being found guilty of massive credit card fraud.

Luke Campbell, 34, of no fixed address, was arrested on 29 May by West Midlands Police, before being sentenced to eight weeks in jail for fraud the following day.

According to police, Campbell had been using several stolen bank cards to fund his shopping sprees, having stolen them from vehicles in the Hillfields suburb, just north of Coventry’s city centre, throughout May.

Footage of the fraudster using these credit cards was captured on CCTV, which led to his subsequent arrest.

Campbell, previously, briefly went on the run in April, when he was wanted on recall to prison. West Midlands Police launched a manhunt, with a spokesperson at the time urging members of the public to dial 999.

A two-year criminal behaviour order (CBO) imposed by the court on 30 May means that Campbell will now be barred from entering any retail or business premises in the city centre.

He will further be prohibited from setting foot on Far Gosford Street, one of the city’s most historic thoroughfares, as well as the Hillfields area where his earlier theft took place.

This is an excellent result, not just for us as police, but for businesses across Coventry

Chief Inspector Daryl Lyon, West Midlands Police

Police confirmed that Campbell has also been banned from approaching any student accommodation located within the city.

Chief Inspector Daryl Lyon extolled the virtues of CBOs: “This is an excellent result, not just for us as police, but for businesses across Coventry. Using CBOs like this gives us a much wider choice of options in dealing with known and persistent offenders.

“By limiting the movements of offenders and banning them from specific areas, we are able to take quicker action to arrest and charge them if they are involved in crime. This, in turn, helps us keep businesses safe and keep persistent offenders off the streets for longer.”

Should Campbell breach the CBO after his eight-week sentence, he faces the prospect of more time behind bars.