A man has been sentenced after stealing bank cards from a Trinity student’s room while they were sitting an exam, Cambridgeshire Constabulary has reported. 

43-year-old Christian Willoughby let himself into the student’s unlocked room while they were in an exam on 24 May last year.

Willoughby went on a spending spree within minutes of stealing the bank cards, purchasing food, alcohol, clothing, and scratch cards.

The student began receiving a series of text alerts of bank transactions while at lunch following the exam. They returned to their room to discover their wallet had been stolen, alongside a £200 watch and an envelope containing more than £100 in cash.

Later that day, Willoughby stole bank cards from a staff member at cocktail bar La Raza in Rose Crescent, using these to buy food and train tickets to his home in Grimsby, Lincolnshire.

After returning home, he continued purchasing food and drink with the bank cards until he was arrested by police.

Cleaning staff at the University reported someone behaving suspiciously, noting a description which matched Willoughby. He had also been caught on CCTV.

Willoughby appeared at Peterborough Crown Court last Thursday (10/07), and was jailed for 11 months after pleading guilty to entering with intent to steal, theft of a purse and 18 counts of fraud by false representation at an earlier hearing.

DC Louise Clarke said: “Willoughby is an opportunist – always looking for ways to steal and line his own pockets. Thankfully, on this occasion, the quick-thinking of cleaning staff at the college secured a good description of him which helped us identify him.”

She added: “The real-time spending messages received by both victims meant they were immediately alerted to something wrong. This allowed them to swiftly contact us with details of the crimes. I hope the victims can now put these incidents behind them.”