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Message sent by Chris Bacon (Police, Constable, Huntingdon)
Please be aware that we are experiencing purse thefts from shoppers in Huntingdon Town Centre. This has happened inside actual shops and on one occasion the victim was distracted by a female whilst a male took her purse from her shopping trolley.
Please be aware
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Please can I bring to your attention the following information!
A resident in the Huntingdon area called Police to report that he had received 2 phone calls, on the 12/08/2014 from a male claiming to be from British Gas. The number this male rang from was 0800 048 404. The caller has then asked the informant if he could have permission to access his account. The Informant has refused and terminated the calls.
The informant has then rang British Gas and informed them of what has happened, British Gas has then advised that this call was a scam and advised the resident to contact ACTION FRAUD and the Police.
The 0800 048 404 is not a recognised number.
Message sent by Anna Holder (Police, PCSO, Huntingdon)
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The lady was about to load her shopping into her car when the male approached her and thrust a £10 note towards her. The male was described as of Mediterranean appearance, average height, smartly dressed and spoke with an eastern European accent. The lady was quite taken aback and tried to wave him away. The male spoke very little English and kept pushing the money towards her, all the while ensuring that she was facing away from her trolley which had her handbag on top of the shopping. Eventually the lady deduced that the male might be after some change so she checked in her purse. she saw that she had none and informed him of this, the male then left. The lady loaded her shopping into her car and went home.
Later on she realised that her debit card was missing and had been used in some large value transactions. Investigations on the store CCTV show that the male had been in the shop and watched the lady use her card at the checkout. He would have had an accomplice and the lady recalls seeing a suspicious looking blond haired woman hanging around by the trolley bay when she returned her trolley.
Please be aware of this type of distraction which will usually be targeted against lone, elderly victims.
Police Sergeant Andrew Street, St.Ives and Ramsey Neighbourhood Problem Solving Team.