A gang of fraudsters used a fly swatter with double-sided sticky tape to steal £12,500, a court has heard.

Constantin Barbuc toured Maidstone's "richest areas" to target up to 10 victims between May and August 2021.

The gang applied for bank cards and pin numbers in the names of the victims. They then retrieved them as they hit the letterboxes by using fly-swatter through people's letterboxes, Maidstone Crown Court was told.

Now, the leader of the four-strong gang has been jailed for 19 months after admitting three fraud charges.

Barbuc, who appeared by prison video link from Wandsworth, had been arrested while sitting in a car in Church street, Maidstone in August 2021.

Prosecutor Merrick Williams told how police officers, who were staking out the area, found the flyswatters in the vehicle which had double-sided sticky tape attached.

He said victims had had application made in their names to 12 different financial institutions including American Express, Santander, Nat West Bank and Barclays.

Mr Williams added that an estimated £12,500 had been fraudulently obtained by the thieves; although police fear another £5,000 may have vanished.

Investigators seized 37 bank and credit cards, 13 mobile phones, 15 driving licences, four computers and six chip and PIN readers.

They also recovered more than 100 documents and letters suspected to have been stolen from letter boxes.

Barbuc, of Bishops Terrace, Mill Street, was sent to prison but because of the time he has spent in custody awaiting sentence he could have been freed immediately because of time served.

However, he is also facing other charges and was remanded back into custody.

Danny Moore, defending, said the use of a fly swatter showed that the scam "wasn't the most sophisticated of frauds."

Judge Robert Lazarus told him: "The facts are that you, along with others, have taken out bank accounts in different names by using stolen details of legitimate people.

"You then, by means including the use of a fly-swatter in a fishing exercise, retrieved them from letter boxes."

The Crown Prosecution Service has dropped charges against a second defendant and the court heard a third defendant is believed to have skipped bail.

Investigating officer Det Con Matt Thomas, of Maidstone CID, said: "This was a sophisticated fraud committed by Barbuc who was probably part of an organised crime group.

"By applying for bank accounts using victims’ details and then intercepting the mail, they were able to make purchases before their crimes were uncovered.

"Fortunately, they were seen by an alert officer whilst off duty and his colleagues later stopped Barbuc in possession of incriminating evidence.

"I would advise anybody who receives documentation about a new account they have not requested, to contact their bank or building society immediately, using the phone number on the rear of their card."