Fraudsters who stole £1.7m of antiques from Bedford pensioner ordered to repay £400k

A group who stole more than £1.7 million of items from an elderly neighbour in Wilstead have been ordered to repay at least £400,000 – or face further time in jail.

Des Pickersgill, 84, of Clyde Crescent, Bedford, and his son Gary, 43, of Skegness, stole a number of items including valuable jade and ivory items from an elderly neighbour. They stole more than 40 items in total over a period of seven years, selling them on through the prestigious Bonhams of London auctioneers, and pocketing the profit.

They were arrested following a police investigation and both were convicted of theft, fraud and converting criminal property. Des Pickersgill was jailed for six years while Gary Pickersgill received an eight-year sentence in September 2021.

Family friend Kevin Wigmore, 48, of Orby, was also jailed for two years for fraud and converting criminal property, while Gary’s wife Sarah Pickersgill, 41, of Skegness, and Tracy Wigmore, 50, of Orby, received a community order and a suspended sentence respectively for their part in the fraud.

Following an investigation by the financial investigation team at the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU), the group has now been ordered to repay more than £417,000.

The money will be paid to the estate of the victim, who has since passed away.

ERSOU financial investigation manager, Ruth Mumford, said: “This was a prolonged and despicable scam which saw incredibly valuable items stolen from a vulnerable elderly woman by people she trusted, leaving her feeling incredibly betrayed.

“We’ve carried out a thorough financial investigation in relation to all of those involved, ensuring that all their assets are identified and now sold on in order for as much money as possible to be repaid.

“Sadly the victim is no longer alive to receive this compensation, but we hope that her family can take some comfort from the fact that these fraudsters will have their ill-gotten gains taken away from them.”