Two individuals have been arrested following an incident in which an elderly woman was allegedly tricked into paying nearly £5,000 for unnecessary roof repairs. The suspects reportedly waited outside her home while she attempted to withdraw the cash.
Incident Details
The victim, a woman in her 70s, visited a bank on Monday, April 20, to withdraw £4,850. She claimed the money was needed to pay for roof tile replacement. However, bank staff grew suspicious and contacted the police.
According to Staffordshire Police, the suspects were waiting in a van outside the woman's property off Bridgnorth Road in Wombourne at the time of the attempted withdrawal.
Arrests and Investigation
A 25-year-old man from Shrewsbury and a 17-year-old boy from Gloucester were arrested on suspicion of fraud by false representation. They have been released on conditional bail while inquiries continue.
Police are urging anyone who witnessed suspicious activity in the area around 1:20 pm on April 20 to come forward. They can be contacted via 101 or Live Chat on the Staffordshire Police website, quoting incident number 379 of 20 April. Anonymous reports can be made to Crimestoppers at 0800 555 111.
Authorities also advise the public to protect themselves from scams by visiting the Staffordshire Police website for fraud prevention information.
