BOGUS cops have been tricking the elderly out of their Christmas savings

Fake cops' festive scam

Dec 19 2003

By Jon Ryder

South London Press

BOGUS cops have been tricking the elderly out of their Christmas savings in a cruel sting.

The conmen escaped with almost £ 2,000 in one incident, and police are warning people to be extra vigilant over the festive period.

The theft happened at about 6.50pm on Monday when three men posing as officers called on a house in Cresset Street, Clapham. They said they were investigating a robbery that had taken place earlier that day and convinced the couple to let them into the house.

The conmen then asked if they kept any money in the house and told the couple to check if any cash had been taken.

When they went to the kitchen, one of the men snatched a tin containing £ 1,900 cash from the woman and ran off towards Stonhouse Street.

The three suspects are all described as white men with Irish accents.

One was around 5ft 8in tall, heavily built with black cropped hair and a scar on the side of his face from his left eye to his jaw. He was wearing a blue zip-up anorak, blue trousers and trainers.

The second was 6ft 2in tall, slim with short blond hair and wearing a blue anorak and grey trousers.

The third was 5ft 10in tall, 30, slim and wearing a blue anorak and jeans.

There was a similar incident earlier the same day at around 5.30pm in Dorset Road. A 71-year-old woman found three men in her bedroom looking through her jewellery drawers and when she shouted at them, they said they were police officers.

One of the men then pulled her woolly hat over her head and shoved her out of the way.

All three men escaped with cash and jewellery worth more than £ 10,000. The three suspects were again all described as white men with Irish accents, aged about 40, 5ft 10in tall, of medium build and wearing dark clothing.

A spokesman for the police's Kennington Priority Crimes Unit said: "These men have targeted elderly residents and taken their cash saved for Christmas gifts. Anybody with information should contact police immediately so they can be stopped.

"Genuine police officers will always carry official identification with them that must be produced if asked. If in doubt, don't let anybody in and avoid storing large amounts of cash in the house."

Call Kennington Police on 020 8649 2467 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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