Police later tracked down Azeez as he was dropping off one of his young sons at a primary school. As he was about to be detained, he reportedly hid three smartphones used in the scam inside the boy’s school bag, which were found by a teaching assistant.
The phones were found to contain videos made by Azeez: one sent to an underworld contact named ‘Baddest Boy’ showed images of used smartphones stolen from sellers.
At Bolton Crown Court, Azeez admitted conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation and plotting to possess criminal property. He will be sentenced next week but faces up to six years in jail.
Nine householders who allowed their addresses to be used as ‘drops’ in the scam will also be sentenced next year.
The scam took place between September 2020 and November 2021 after former Yodel delivery driver Azeez began providing.
