Colombian thieves jailed in UK after £64k cashpoint theft spree targeting elderly women

Two Colombian nationals who stole thousands of pounds from elderly victims at cash machines and banks across England have been jailed for three years and eight months each.

Willmer Guzman, 63, and Armet Cortes, 55, admitted conspiracy to steal after targeting at least 14 people—most of them older women—between August 2024 and April 2025.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the gang loitered outside banks, discreetly watching for people withdrawing large sums of cash before using distraction techniques and intimidation to take their money.

The thieves struck across the country, including Newcastle, Sunderland, Gosforth, Hexham, Southport, Scarborough, Ealing, Preston and Birkenhead.

On one occasion, a woman lost £15,000 after the gang scattered coins on the ground to divert her attention. Another 71-year-old couple were ambushed in their car by men shouting in a foreign language, leaving them terrified as their money was stolen.

Some victims were followed home, while others were jostled, pushed and intimidated. One 66-year-old woman said she felt “trapped and threatened” during the ordeal.

Judge Andrew Smith said the crimes showed a “high degree of professionalism” and left victims “profoundly affected,” with one woman forced to come out of retirement due to her financial loss.

Both Guzman and Cortes entered the UK legally during relaxed visa rules for Colombians, claiming they had sought work as a painter-decorator and mechanic. But they admitted turning to crime when they discovered they could not legally work.

They will serve up to 40% of their sentences before facing automatic deportation.

Detective Constable Andy Thompson of the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit (NEROCU) said:

“Cortes and Guzman targeted vulnerable victims and used manipulative, sophisticated methods to carry out their crimes. Their actions were incredibly traumatic, leaving victims with long-lasting financial and psychological scars.”