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New York: A glamorous young couple dubbed a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde enjoyed a jet-setting lifestyle after stealing the identities of friends and neighbours in an elaborate fraud and face trial this month, prosecutors say.
Edward Anderton, 25, and Jocelyn Kirsch, 22, were a golden couple on the Philadelphia social scene - going to the best parties, eating at the best restaurants and holidaying in Europe, North Africa and the Caribbean. But, as a court will hear later this month, none of the money was theirs. It was defrauded in a scheme that netted $100,000 (Dh367,300) after they broke into their neighbours' homes and copied their personal details.
When police searched their apartment in Rittenhouse Square, one of Philadelphia's most expensive addresses, they found a sophisticated identity-theft operation, including an ID card-making machine, computer spyware and lock-picking tools.
The couple also had keys to many of their neighbours' apartments and to all of their mailboxes.
Police also discovered a book entitled The Art of Cheating: A Nasty Little Book for Tricky Little Schemers and Their Hapless Victims.
Investigators allege that the couple sneaked into their neighbours' homes and stole social security numbers, bank account details and even a passport.
In at least five cases, they then opened credit card and bank accounts in their victims' names, backed by fake driving licences.
Police believe they also got hold of confidential information by installing spyware software on their neighbours' computers. When police disconnected the pair's computers, the building's entire internet access crashed.
The crime spree lasted a year before a hairdresser, who had been presented with a bogus cheque for $2,200 for putting extensions in Kirsch's hair, discovered that her mailing address was actually a UPS store and went to police. The couple were caught when they turned up at the UPS store to collect a package of lingerie addressed to one of their victims.
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