A new scam, targeting the elderly to steal their valuables, has just been unearthed in Calvados.
The Caen police issued a warning when three cases were identified this summer, two in the city and another in Hérouville Saint-Clair, in the Caen suburbs, reports the local press.
The procedure is simple but very effective for crooks. The criminals show up at the home of an elderly person, claiming to be neighbors or relatives of an acquaintance. They then claim to want to shelter jewelry before going on vacation. “Can I put them in your hiding place?” They ask their victims.
Confident, the latter show them the said hiding place, where they protect their own valuables. The crooks then take the opportunity to discreetly steal the contents of the hideout, before leaving the premises.
The police alert the population
To make the population aware of this type of scam, the police distributed flyers in bakeries in the Caen conurbation.
The staff of @ PoliceNat14 are currently distributing flyers to artisan bakers for the attention of #seniors to make them aware of the offenses of which they are victims.
To read more https://t.co/p9XBXqmpT4 pic.twitter.com/MSIZSfCkxC
– National Police 14 (@ PoliceNat14) August 27, 2021