Warning after bogus police scams linked in Cannock

A man claiming to be a police officer called a 79-year-old woman insisting money in her bank needed to be checked and a man would call round to collect her cards.

Shortly after, another man collected the woman’s cards from her Pye Green Road home where she lives with her 86-year-old husband and asked to confirm her pin code – which she did.

Hundreds of pounds was later drawn from her account.

A similar incident happened on St James Road where a man called a 97-year-old woman.

A man, again claiming to be a police officer, called at around 5pm with the same story before sending another man to her home to collect her card.

The 97-year-old was left extremely shaken and colleagues from West Midlands Ambulance Service checked her over.

But Staffordshire Police could not confirm if any funds were taken in the second incident.

Detective Inspector John Quilty from Force CID, said: “This was a heartless attack on three vulnerable people, leaving them feeling scared in their own homes.

“Police will never ask for personal details over the phone and anyone who receives such a call should call us as soon as possible and keep a note of the number that called.

“We believe that these two incidents in Cannock are linked and we’re now appealing to the public in helping us find the people responsible."

Anyone who may have seen something suspicious is asked to email kathryn.middleton@staffordshire.pnn.police.uk quoting incident number 735 of March 4 or call Staffordshire Police on 101.