A former private security guard has been jailed after using his old uniform to impersonate a G4S custodian and trick bank staff into handing over £117,200 in cash during a calculated fraud at a Santander branch in Brixton, south London.

The incident took place on 5 July 2022, when Kwabena Kissi, aged 40, entered the bank wearing his former G4S-style uniform, helmet, and face covering, along with a security briefcase.Staff, believing he was a legitimate cash collection operative, allowed him access to secure areas of the branch.Once inside, he was handed multiple bags of cash, which he placed into his briefcase before leaving the premises without raising immediate suspicion.After leaving the bank, Kissi changed his clothing and transferred the stolen money into a bin bag before ordering an Uber to escape the scene.He then flew to Accra, Ghana, the following day, where he remained for nearly four years, reportedly living with his mother.The fraud only began to unravel when he returned to the United Kingdom in March of the current year.

He was arrested at Gatwick Airport after police linked him to the crime through extensive CCTV analysis and phone evidence, including the Uber booking made in his own name.

At Snaresbrook Crown Court, prosecutors outlined how Kissi exploited his insider knowledge from his previous employment with G4S, which he had left in 2020 without returning his uniform.The court heard that staff at Santander were left distressed following the incident, although no employees faced disciplinary action.Kissi admitted fraud by false representation, while a second charge relating to criminal property possession was dropped.

He was sentenced to three years and four months in prison, with the judge emphasising his deliberate deception and misuse of trust within the cash handling system.

Investigators from the Metropolitan Police highlighted the role of CCTV footage and digital tracking in identifying and apprehending the suspect upon his return to the UK.