A fraudster described as the 'spitting image' of Friends actor David Schwimmer has been jailed for nine months for theft and fraud offences.
Abdulah Husseini, 36, used a stolen bank card to make fraudulent purchases at four shops in Blackpool last September.
Burnley Crown Court heard that he obtained the bank card after walking into an all-you-can-eat buffet restaurant at the seaside resort and taking a wallet from a customer's jacket while they were away from their table.
The Schwimmer lookalike, who was described in court as a "travelling, wandering, nomadic thief", then went on to make two successful purchases using the card at nearby shops.
He was then caught on CCTV carrying cans of beers to the till at an Iceland store, the court was told.
A month later, Blackpool Police posted a photo of the captured CCTV image on its Facebook page in an appeal to trace Husseini, which showed him holding a crate of beer and staring straight at the camera.
The image went viral on social media after people spotted his resemblance to the 90s sitcom star.
After which, Schwimmer responded by posting a video to his Twitter account that showed him scurrying through a convenience store carrying a stash of beer before looking up suspiciously at a CCTV camera.
He captioned the video: "Officers, I swear it wasn't me. As you can see, I was in New York.
"To the hardworking Blackpool Police, good luck with the investigation."
Following a two-day trial, Husseini was convicted by a jury on Thursday of one count of theft and four counts of fraud by false representation.
He was then sentenced by Judge Sara Dodd, who told him he had an "appalling criminal history" and that he was "an habitual thief".
Husseini, an Iranian national, has 32 previous convictions for 60 offences since 2008, including 27 offences for theft and dishonesty.
The defendant, from Slough, travelled throughout the country to commit offences across the UK, the court heard.
Prosecutor Andy Scott said: "He is a travelling, wandering, nomadic thief and he is a consistent thief with an affinity to steal alcohol."
Husseini has been remanded in custody since he served an 18-week jail term imposed at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court in January for offences of handling stolen goods, theft and possession of a knife.
Judge Dodd told him he "may be released very soon" on licence after he had effectively already served half his nine-month term awaiting the trial.
