22 November 2011 | 4 minutes read

Distraction Burglaries

Merseyside Police would like to alert all home owners to some recent incidents where several households have been targeted by a female thief who managed to trick her way in and stole property

Three such incidents occurred in relative close proximity on Walton Hall Avenue L4, County Road L4 and Huxley Street L13 and we suspect the same person is responsible for all these incidents.

In One incident, the offender knocked on the elderly resident’s door and presented her with a bunch of flowers claiming they were sent to her from the local church. She pushed her way into the victim’s home and sat in the lounge whilst the occupant left to put the flowers in some water. The offender soon left the premises with the victim’s purse.

In another incident, the offender made up a story about looking for dance lessons for her daughter and pushed past the music teacher at a dance studio, she managed to steal one of the student’s expensive mobile phones whilst the teacher was conducting the lesson.

In the last incident, she engaged the home owner in a discussion about knitting and asked for wool and needles. When the victim told her that she did not have any, she asked for charity bags which the home owner fetched for her. She then asked for full charity bags with donated clothing but again she was told that none are available. She then asked for some water but the resident refused so the thief was denied the opportunity to enter the house.

But the home owner now recalls that the same female had managed to trick her way into the house a few months earlier and property was stolen.

Merseyside police’s Burglary Squad have identified a suspect who is currently being investigated, we are unable to name her but ask residents to read the following description carefully and report any incidents as soon as they occur, we would appreciate the reporting of any previous incidents that may assist our current investigation.

White female, Slim Build, 5’ 5” to 5’ 7” tall, 40 to 50 years of age, pale complexion, tired face, black collar length hair worn straight and spoke with a local accent.

Please remember not to let unexpected callers into your home without checking their ID and being fully satisfied they are who they say they are.

Please call us on the listed number below with any information or alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. They are a confidential national charity independent of the police. You won’t be asked your name, just what you know.

Constable Andy Gow-Barber
Crime Prevention Bureau
Lower Lane Police Station
0151 7774565

Suspicious Circumstances

Merseyside police would like to remind everyone, particularly at this time of year and in the current economic climate, to be on their guard against tricks, scams, and other criminal activity.

Further to our last alert, in a recent incident a male knocked on an address on Rhodesia Road L9 offering to clean gutters for £20, the occupant and two neighbours accepted. The male who appeared to be in his early 20’s asked if she was alone or was there a male that could hold the ladders. She informs him that she is alone. He cleaned the guttering and accepted the £20 then left. He returns some time later claiming that the £20 note she had previously given him was a forged note and asks for more money as he had child to feed. The female declines to give him anymore money and he leaves without further incident. We advise all house holders to be very weary and not to give out such information which can be used by would be thieves and burglars to possibly assault lone occupants and force entry to steal. Do not accept any work offered from a caller to the door unless you can confirm their identity and satisfy yourself as to the intentions of unexpected callers before allowing them entry into your home.

Your Dedicated Police Team will act upon any information received from the public and we would like to thank those who continue to pass valuable information on to us. If you have information about a crime or local concerns that you would like to discuss, please do not hesitate to contact your dedicated officer in the first instance. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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