Crawley sisters jailed for £80k airport duty free store thefts
The pair took items including high-value perfumes and cosmetics
Last updated 26th Sep 2024
Two sisters from Crawley who stole an estimated £80,000 in high-value perfumes, make-up and other cosmetics from duty-free shops in airports have been jailed.
45-year-old Laura Epitropou, and 42-year-old Georgina Epitropou stole the majority of the items from Gatwick Airport, selling them either via online marketplaces or direct to specific purchasers.
Bank records showed that sales totalled around £40,000 in a conspiracy over a 10-month period up to September 2022.
Laura took 21 flights from Gatwick during this period, mainly to Edinburgh, with her sister joining in on later flights.
Messages between the pair showed that, on one occasion, they stole 73 items worth almost £8,000.
The pair were arrested boarding a flight to Belfast from Gatwick and stolen items totalling almost £2,000 were found in their suitcase.
Both sisters pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal at Lewes Crown Court last month, while Laura also admitted to an additional charge of acquiring criminal property.
Laura, of The Boulevard, and Georgina, of Grattons Drive, have both been sentenced to two and a half years in jail.
PC Michelle Robinson from Sussex Police said:
“The Epitropou sisters targeted high value perfumes and cosmetic products for their own financial greed.
“We worked in partnership with our colleagues at the airport to build a strong case against the sisters.
“Business crime and shop thefts has a considerable impact on victims including shop workers, so we were determined to catch these offenders.
“It demonstrates that we take these reports seriously and will work hard to ensure that offenders are prosecuted.”
Daniel Cummins from the Crown Prosecution Service said:
"Despite claiming that they were in debt when they were arrested, it was clear that both sisters were living beyond their means and using these thefts to fund their lavish lifestyles, which included cosmetic surgery.
"They were stealing to order, putting significant planning into these thefts, deciding how many items to take and even lowering that number after Laura was arrested by Police Scotland with stolen goods in her possession.
"The women sold the stolen products at around half the price they retailed for, making thousands in the process through online marketplaces and sales to individuals."