Photo: DPA

Elderly woman robbed by fake relative after weekend reunion

Published: 29 Jul 10 16:01 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/society/20100729-28833.html

Police are searching for a woman who robbed a retiree after she claimed to be a relative and spent the weekend at her home along with a child and dog, police said on Thursday.

The imposter called up the 80-year-old woman last Friday, saying she was a cousin and would like to bring her child for a visit, a police statement said.

That evening the 30-year-old arrived at the elderly woman’s apartment doorstep in Herford, North Rhine-Westphalia with a young boy and a white dog.

Despite some misgivings, the woman allowed the trio into her home, where they spent the entire weekend together, the statement said.

But on Sunday evening the three left suddenly. On Monday the retiree realised that her pocketbook had gone missing.

“Under the pretence of an appointment that had to be kept, the woman and her child left the retiree relatively suddenly on Sunday evening,” the statement said.

In addition to a “rather large sum” of cash, the woman’s credit cards and identification card had been stolen.

Herford officers are now looking for a woman aged approximately 30-years-old, 175 centimetres tall, with short, dark hair. Her alleged son is believed to be about eight-years-old.

The Local (news@thelocal.de)

What do you think? Leave your comment below.

Fark It! Digg This  Share everywhere
Send to a friend Printable version Twitter This

Your comments about this article:

10:51 July 30, 2010 by Mapleleafdude
Wow, what a daft theft. Guess the old lady wont have anyone over anytime soon.
ADD YOUR COMMENT   (YOU MUST LOG IN OR REGISTER TO MAKE A COMMENT)
For comment quoting and other advanced formatting features,
try posting via this article's discussion forum page instead.
Today's headlines
Leibinger (left) and Schiller (right). Photo: DPA

Teens jailed in Munich S-Bahn murder trial

A court on Monday handed lengthy jail sentences to two teens for the murder of businessman Dominik Brunner on a Munich commuter train platform almost one year ago. READ »

Photo: DPA

Trial against weatherman Kachelmann postponed

The trial against TV weatherman Jörg Kachelmann was postponed on Monday after his defence team asked for two judges to be recused. The 52-year-old is accused of threatening his long-time girlfriend with a knife and raping her. READ (2 COMMENTS) »

Photo: DPA

One dead, 38 injured in air show crash

One woman is dead and 38 other people injured after an antique biplane crashed into a crowd of air show spectators near Nuremberg on Sunday afternoon. READ »

Photo: DPA

Germany to extend life of nuclear reactors

Germany said Monday it would extend the life of its nuclear reactors by an average of 12 years after marathon talks on the controversial issue that will shape the energy policy of Europe's top economy. READ (1 COMMENT) »

Photo: DPA

Silver coins testify to ancient global trade reaching northern Germany

Archaeologists have unearthed silver artefacts in a northern German field which show that global trade was reaching even the North Seas coast more than 1,200 years ago. READ (3 COMMENTS) »

Ballack and Löw. Photo: DPA

Discussion over Ballack's place in national team intensifies

Speculation over the future of injured national football team captain Michael Ballack intensified over the weekend after the side managed to win its first match in the Euro 2012 qualification campaign without him. READ (1 COMMENT) »

Photo: DPA

Neo-Nazi rally provokes outcry in Dortmund

At least 160 people were arrested or held by police in Dortmund on Saturday as up to 15,000 people tried to block a neo-Nazi rally in the city to mark the anniversary of the start of the Second World War. READ »

What to do? Wulff and Merkel. Photo: DPA

Support for Sarrazin puts politicians in spin

Nearly a fifth of Germans would vote for a political protest party headed by Thilo Sarrazin, a poll revealed on Sunday, as mainstream politicians argue about how best to react to his statements on Muslims, immigration and Jews. READ (10 COMMENTS) »

More Society
Highlights
Photo: DPA
LIFESTYLE »
Motherhood in the Fatherland: In the fourth instalment of our series on the cultural quirks of having a baby in Germany, Sabine Devins explores superstitions about behaviours said to cause rosy cheeks, birthmarks, and even blindness.
Photo: Universal Pictures
LIFESTYLE »
The Local's English-language movie listings for Germany
Photo: DPA
OPINION »
Inflammatory comments on Muslims and race by Bundesbank board member Thilo Sarrazin have caused widespread outrage. The Local’s media roundup explores the repercussions.
Photo: DPA
OPINION »
The atomic energy industry is pushing to delay Germany’s phase-out of nuclear power. But Marcus Gatzke from ZEIT ONLINE warns doing so could hurt the country’s switch to renewable energy – and consumers’ pocketbooks.
Photo: DPA
SPONSORED ARTICLE
Beyond Oktoberfest: A guide to German beer and wine festivals

See all ads | Join the Marketplace

Jobs in Germany, in English

686 jobs available
486 new jobs this week
52 new jobs today

ALL JOBS »

Latest news from The Local in Sweden
Blog
Essentials

Dating
Looking for your own blonde bombshell? Or is the strong, silent type more your style? Find a German sweetheart here.

Weather
"After clouds comes clear weather," say the Germans. But what about after that? Find out in The Local's weather section.

Blog
German stuff that's distracting us today.

Noticeboard
Whether you want to buy, sell, hire, announce or promote something, here's the place to do it - completely free of charge.

Discuss
Debate the news, ask for advice, make friends - or just let off steam.

Search News


Register

Register now for:
> Free use of noticeboard
> Special discounts
> Weekly news roundup
> Unlimited use of discuss

REGISTER FOR FREE »

News from the Goethe-Institut
News from Young Germany
News from DeutschlandOnline
Toytown Germany
Germany's English-speaking crowd
Flat rate internet + free calls to USA, UK, Canada and more
Surf‘n’Talk service from TKS offers a powerful combination of high-speed Internet connectivity along with an around-the-clock flat for calls to your “home country”. Find out more at the TKS website.
INFO > www.tkscable.com

The Local Europe GmbH
Schwedter Strasse 227
10435 Berlin
Germany