A Waltham Cross man has been jailed for using a combination of sleight of hand and distraction to dupe shop assistants into handing over their takings.
This scam is often referred to as "ringing the changes". A demonstration is shown in the YouTube video below.
John Webster, 31, admitted five charges of fraud when he appeared via videolink at Worcester Magistrates' Court on Thursday, 18th July 2019.
The offences were committed on 26th April 2019, when Webster and an accomplice entered several shops in Worcester city centre.
Magistrates heard that £146 was conned out of a shop assistant in Card Factory when Webster made an elaborate request to change some banknotes. In a nearby Greggs shop, he requested a specially-made sandwich in order to distract the manager and leave a younger, inexperienced member of staff in charge of the till.
The pair were arrested shortly afterwards and found to have £355 in banknotes in their possession.
Nicola Ritchie, prosecuting, said all the offences "had the same aim" with the pair asking for "various notes to be changed from the till" and doing their best to confuse the assistant.
Nick Roberts, mitigating, said his client "takes no point" with anything said, but described the offences as "quite amateurish", flippantly adding: "It's not his fault if a manager leaves younger staff while he goes to check things."
Jayne Stewart, of the National Probation Service, said Webster had previously been recalled to prison in relation to a different offence and had spent six months unlawfully at large before being arrested in April. That prison term finishes in November.
Webster was sentenced to 6 months' imprisonment, which will run consecutively with his existing prison sentence.
Stephen Webster, who is charged with the same offences, was not present at court and his hearing was adjourned until 8th August 2019.
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