Fraud in Phthiotis: Money and jewellery stolen from 86-year-old woman under guise of electrical fault
Unknown persons kept an elderly woman in Glyfa Stylida on the phone for three hours and extorted 500 euros and jewellery from her. They subsequently presented themselves as police officers to buy time for their escape.
Three-hour telephone fraud against elderly woman in Glyfa Stylida
An 86-year-old resident of Glyfa in the Municipality of Stylida in Phthiotis fell victim to organised fraud on Saturday afternoon, 10 October, when unknown persons convinced her that her house risked being engulfed in flames due to an alleged electrical current leak. They took approximately 500 euros, her wedding rings and other jewellery, according to Dikastiko.gr.
The perpetrators contacted the elderly woman around midday and kept her on the line for approximately three hours, until 16:00. Throughout the call, they exerted psychological pressure on her and prevented her from contacting her relatives.
Detailed scenario to gain trust
To appear credible, the unknown persons invoked the names of well-known people in the area. They described with precision the alleged danger from the electrical leak and even went so far as to mention the number of sockets in the room where the problem allegedly had been identified.
Subsequently, a female accomplice appeared on the telephone line, impersonating the 86-year-old woman's daughter. According to LamiaReport, the woman reportedly told her: "Mother, trust the technicians and do what they tell you, we don't want a fire!"
The bag snatched from outside the residence
Under the pressure she was enduring, the elderly woman gathered her money and jewellery into a bag. The perpetrators had convinced her that she needed to remove them from the house to protect them from the alleged fire.
As soon as the woman left the bag outside the residence, a man got out of a black Nissan Almera and snatched it. "Why are you taking the bag?", the elderly woman shouted, according to the report. The man immediately got into the passenger seat and the car drove away at high speed in an unknown direction.
They posed as police officers to delay the investigation
Shortly after the theft, the perpetrators called the house again, presenting themselves as police officers. They claimed they were already monitoring the thieves and reassured the elderly woman. The phone was answered by a neighbour who had already rushed to help after hearing the 86-year-old woman calling for assistance.
According to LamiaReport, the unknown persons also contacted the elderly woman's actual daughter, questioning her about details of the incident. This move, according to the same source, is believed to have been intended to delay police notification so that the accomplices could gain time to escape from the area.
Source: Dikastiko.gr