Distraction thief steals £200 from 90-year-old man in Coventry

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A cruel thief stole £200 from a 90-year-old man in Coventry after tricking his way into the pensioner’s house.

Police said the OAP found the intruder in his home in Winsford Avenue, Allesley Park, at about 6pm on February 19.

When asked why he was in the house, the crook said he had chased off a group of youths who were in the property.

The pensioner, believing the man was his guardian angel, went to check his money hadn’t been touched.

During that time, the intruder swapped the pensioner’s house key for a dummy key.

Later that evening, someone returned to the property and stole £200 from where the victim had checked.

The suspect was aged 40 to 45 was around 5ft 9in tall, of muscular build and was clean shaven. He spoke with a local accent.

PC Rich Hobbs, of Coventry Police, said: “A 90-year-old man has been deliberately targeted due to his vulnerability in this heartless crime.

“There are a number of shops and bus stops nearby. I am asking for anyone who was in the area at that time to think about what they saw and report anything at all, however innocuous it may seem.”

Anyone with information should contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

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Collection raises hundreds of pounds for Coventry pensioner tricked by thieves

Generous people of Coventry have raised nearly £350 for a 90-year-old man tricked out of cash at his home.

The OAP found an intruder in his home in Winsford Avenue, Allesley Park, who told the man he had chased off a group of youths who were in the property.

The grateful pensioner went to check his money hadn’t been touched and, during that time, the intruder swapped the pensioner's house key for a dummy key and later that evening someone returned and stole £200 from the house.

The story shocked many people, including Stephanie Alsop who set up a crowdfunding page to collect donations and get the pensioner his money back.

And she has been gobsmacked by the response which has so far resulted in £345 being donated.

Stephanie said: “I can’t believe it - my phone hasn’t stopped going off as the donations have come in.

“I’ve been reading the stories about people having money stolen and then this happened and it was too much.

“The elderly are such important people and without them half us might not even be here as they’ve done so much for us.

“I spoke to some friends about what we could do and decided to set up the fundraisng page. I started sharing it and people just kept donating more and more.”

The money will be added to collections started at a shop and another at a school in Allesley.

Anyone wanting to donate can still do so online here.

Police are appealing for witnesses to the incident, which happened at about 6pm on February 19, and have described the suspect as aged 40 to 45, around 5ft 9in, of muscular build and clean shaven.

Call PC Rich Hobbs at Coventry Police on 101.