LONDON, England – A Bromley man received a 27-month jail sentence following a series of calculated thefts and frauds targeting gym-goers’ bank accounts, according to authorities.
Declan Murphy, 35, was convicted of three counts of theft and 11 counts of fraud after admitting to his crimes in court. London police have also secured a “Criminal Behavior Order” against Murphy, prohibiting him from entering several gyms nationwide.
Murphy executed his scheme by observing gym members input their locker combinations. Notably, during an incident on September 13, 2024, Murphy used these locker codes, which often doubled as phone and bank card PINs, to access personal belongings and financial accounts.
Upon accessing a victim’s locker, Murphy stole bank cards and intentionally damaged the victim’s phone by submerging it in water, effectively preventing them from quickly contacting their bank or monitoring transactions.
Police revealed that the disruption to the victim’s phone provided Murphy an extended window to execute his fraud. He managed to withdraw £500 (approximately $609) from an ATM before an attempt to purchase £5,400 (roughly $6,575) worth of goods was stopped at an Apple Store.
This wasn’t an isolated event. Murphy had reportedly executed similar crimes earlier in June of the same year. At the time of the September incident, he was already out on bail for previous offenses.
Authorities found that Murphy gained access to multiple gym locations across various fitness chains using membership cards registered under false identities.
In sentencing, Judge Edward Connell called Murphy’s methods “pre-planned” and “well-practiced,” underscoring the deliberate nature of the criminal activities.
Detective Chief Inspector Kevin Ines of the City of London Police’s Criminal Investigation Department cautioned the public. “Individuals assume their belongings are secure in gym lockers and aren’t expecting this level of deceit,” he stated, urging gym-goers to differentiate security codes across platforms.
Ines emphasized, “Avoid using the same PIN for multiple purposes. This tactic, as seen with Murphy’s actions, can leave you vulnerable to exploitation.”
With Murphy behind bars, officials hope to deter similar crimes, reminding the public of the importance of vigilance in protecting personal information.
