Gold bars worth 4.8 million stolen through fraudulent phone call; police search in Prague
An unknown perpetrator tricked a married couple aged 88 and 89 by telephone and obtained their investment gold weighing 2.9 kg. Police are asking gold traders and the public for assistance.
Fraudster obtains gold bars worth nearly five million crowns from Prague seniors
Prague police are searching for gold bars worth approximately 4.8 million crowns, which an unknown perpetrator took from a senior married couple on Wednesday, 2 September. According to Aktuálně.cz, officers have now appealed to the public and in particular to persons trading in gold or operating precious metal buyback services.
The stolen bars weighed a total of 2.9 kilograms. The case is being investigated as a suspected fraud offence, for which the perpetrator faces up to ten years' imprisonment.
Perpetrator posed as nephew
A man called two seniors aged 88 and 89 and introduced himself as their nephew. He told them that his son had caused a serious traffic accident in which he killed a motorcyclist, and that the son now faces detention. He asked them for financial assistance to pay a high bail with the promise that he would return the money the next day.
When the seniors said they did not have the necessary cash, they mentioned investment gold. The perpetrator convinced them that gold would also suffice for the bail purposes. The senior then placed the gold bars in a grey shopping bag, went out in front of the house, and handed them over to a man who introduced himself as a courier.
Gold cut into smaller pieces
Detectives established that the stolen bars were subsequently cut up. These are pieces approximately 30 centimetres in length and around 0.5 centimetre in width.
"In connection with the case, we are therefore asking for cooperation from gold traders, jewellers, pawnbrokers, precious metal buyback operators and the general public," police said. Anyone who encounters an offer to sell or buy such modified gold bars or parts thereof should immediately call the 158 hotline.
Police are also urging drivers who travelled along Sudoměřská street in Prague 3 on Wednesday, 2 September around 20:00 and have a dashboard camera recording to come forward.
Appeal to seniors: verify information
Police are appealing especially to seniors and their family members to be cautious during such phone calls. According to officers, perpetrators deliberately exploit people's fear for their loved ones and demand money, jewellery or other valuables under various pretexts. It is always advisable to verify such information directly with the relative in question or to contact the police.
Source: Aktuálně.cz