MAIDSTONE — A 28-year-old man has been jailed for two years and nine months following a month-long series of sophisticated distraction thefts targeting bank customers across Medway. Job Khoeseb, from Barking, appeared at Maidstone Crown Court on Friday, January 23, 2026, to receive his sentence after pleading guilty to six counts of theft and one count of attempted theft.
The court heard how Khoeseb and an unidentified accomplice orchestrated the ruse between June and July 2025, specifically targeting seven people at cash machines in Strood and Chatham. The duo employed a calculated distraction technique where Khoeseb would approach victims at ATMs and suggest the machine had malfunctioned or swallowed their card. As the victims turned to engage with him, his co-conspirator would covertly withdraw funds or seize the bank card. In some instances, Khoeseb even escorted victims inside the bank branch to report the “missing” card, providing his accomplice with the window necessary to drain the accounts.
Over the course of 31 days, the pair successfully stole a total of £2,150. The investigation revealed that the offenders did not discriminate by age, with the oldest victim identified as a man in his late 80s. But the breakthrough in the case came when investigators linked a series of similar reports and identified three suspect vehicles frequently parked near the crime scenes.
On July 10, 2025, officers tracked one of the vehicles to Gravesend before intercepting it on Court Road in Orpington. Khoeseb was found inside the vehicle along with medical masks that matched descriptions of those worn during the thefts. A subsequent search of his Barking residence uncovered keys to a second vehicle associated with the offences.
Khoeseb originally faced a charge of conspiring to steal, which was later amended during court proceedings. His sentencing concludes a months-long investigation by Kent Police into the predatory tactics used to exploit vulnerable residents during routine financial transactions.
Detective Constable Hollie McBride said:
‘Khoeseb showed a blatant disregard for his victims and left them both out of pocket and feeling untrusting of the general public. We commend his victims for reporting these crimes to us, as it led to his arrest and to his receiving time in prison. People should feel free to withdraw money as they please, however a healthy level of awareness regarding distraction thefts will prevent criminals such as Khoeseb from being able to operate.’