TWO members of a gang of Chinese credit card cheats have been jailed for using cloned cards in Swindon town centre.
Qi Xue, 21, was jailed for 15 months and Zian-Qui Zhang, 20, for four months for going equipped to cheat and deception offences.
But the other two members of the London-based gang did not turn up for sentencing having been granted bail. A warrant was issued for their arrest.
Jie He, 19, is now thought to be on the run after post sent to his home in Woolwich was returned by the Royal Mail.
The other, a 17-year-old who cannot be named for legal reasons, has not spoken to his legal team since before Christmas.
Chris Smyth, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court that Zhang, He, Xue, and the teenager came to Swindon together on June 17 last year.
Each was armed with cloned credit cards and were trying to use them to buy gift vouchers from town centre stores.
Xue, of Bradfield Square, Swindon, accused of going equipped to cheat and obtaining vouchers worth £500 by deception, pleaded not guilty to both matters but was convicted following a trial.
The other three all pleaded guilty to going equipped and various other deception charges.
Zhang, of Hendon, north London, admitted attempting to obtain gift vouchers worth £500 from HMV.
He, of Shooters Hill, Woolwich, admitted trying to obtain a Sony digital camcorder from Jessops and with the 17-year-old, also of Woolwich, pleaded guilty to a joint charge of trying to obtain £500 of vouchers from HMV.
Recorder Timothy Mousley QC sentenced Xue and Zhang, both of whom have overstayed their visas, to jail terms which had already been served on remand.
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