Girvan woman who went on £2K shopping spree with stolen card

Mar 1 2013 by Jennifer Buchanan, Ayrshire Post

A heartless thief stole an old man’s debit card and went on a £2000 spending spree.

Greedy Shirlene Lindsay was working at Premier Stores on Girvan’s Glendoune Street when a man suffering from dementia asked for her help withdrawing cash in November last year.

Lindsay, who is known by her middle name Daisy, took the opportunity to lift the card and the old man left the shop without realising what she’d done.

The 44-year-old then went on a two day shopping spree in Ayr, spending £1921.96 on clothes, toys and toiletries.

Lindsay also withdrew cash from the pensioners account on two occassions before the man’s bank contacted him about the unusal spending.

On November 3, Lindsay used the card to spend £65 in the Early Learning Centre, £79 in Scotts clothing store, £74.97 in Argos, £69 in River Island, £449.99 in the O2 shop, £52 in Claire’s Accessories, £152 in Hourstons, £195 in Mud and Glory children’s clothing store, and £110 in Lloyds Pharmacy.

The very next day, Lindsay returned to Ayr, withdrew more cash from the ATM and then charged £350 of clothes at Unique on Alloway Street, and £325 at Mud and Glory.

Lindsay, of Douneburn Crescent, admitted the theft and attaining goods by fraud at Ayr Sheriff Court.

Her defence lawyer, John Gallcher, told the court that his client accepted it had been a breach of trust.

He added: “She genuinely regrets what she did and is totally embarrassed.”

Mr Gallacher added that the items had been gifts for her children and family, and that she had lost her job at Premier stores as a result of the crime.

Lindsay said she could start repayments at £10 per fortnight, which meant it would take seven years to repay her debt.

But Sheriff Desmond Leslie wasn’t interested in her excuses.

He said: “You saw an opportunity to exploit this situation for everything it’s worth.

“It was a despicable act.

“You say you regret what you did but you went on a two day shopping spree and had more than enough chance to reflect on what you were doing.”

Sheriff Leslie sentenced Lindsay to six months in prison.