Police are warning people to be vigilant after an elderly woman was the target of a distraction theft in Lichfield city centre.
The incident happened at around 11.30am on 25th October.
Two men tailed the victim, who is in her 80s, from a charity shop on Tamworth Street. One then followed her to WHSmith on Bakers Lane where he distracted her and stole her purse.
A similar incident occurred in Tamworth five days later where similar tactics were used by making the victim think they had dropped something before taking their purse and trying to use bank cards at nearby cash machines.
A Staffordshire Police spokesperson said:
“We are urging people to be vigilant when out and about, especially around ATMs, inside banks, or wherever else you might use your PIN.
“If you’re approached by someone near a cash point, make sure they aren’t trying to distract you and that your valuables are in sight.”
Staffordshire Police spokesperson
Anyone with information is urged to contact police on 101, quoting incident 687 of 25th October.
Thats over two weeks ago and your now asking the public to be vigilant. This is a repeated behavior of the police, where by a crime has happened and they take days later to even gather evidence. Now they can’t even give instructions to the public soon after the crime has happned.
Local Man, I’m not sure l follow. Would you want the police to issue daily or hourly reminders to be alert? And would that stop crime? Have you given any thought to the possibility that the theft wasn’t reported immediately, hence the delay? Or that the 5-day delay between the two incidents might explain it?
@Hogwash, Have you read your comment back to yourself?
I ask this because im curious to why you think not being warned of such as incidents and other crimes. Where by the elderly pensioner being the victim, vulnerable and frail, of a distraction theft. Im puzzled why you would think the public not being told would actually prevent crime.
If no one was warned or description of the culprits were not given, the crime would increase and the culprits would hit more victims. In this case this incident was reported on the same day, this is what we’ve been told. You can’t try linking the incident in Tamworth because theyve not described the people as the same. We’ve not been told why theyve delayed releasing the information to the public but this isn’t knew with our police, they dont act fast enough and follow the check list of evidence and inform the public in prompt time. Most people have CCTV they only lasts 48 hours before being overwitten and too we forget what we see for so long ago.
Local Man, yes I’ve read mine back to myself. I’ve tried reading yours but it’s virtually unintelligible. I was writing clearer stuff when l was at junior school.