Got news? Tell us!
Get involved: send your pictures, video, news and views by texting gazette news to 80360, or email i-witness@nqe.com »
Colchester: new take on old scam
10:15am Tuesday 13th May 2008
THIEVES appear to have put a new spin on an old scam in Colchester.
A woman had her credit card stolen from her bag, while she was parked in Sheepen Road car park at about 3.30pm on Saturday.
She told police that her bag was on the passenger seat, when a strange man opened her car door and put a map on the seat.
He had a woman with him, and the pair were asking where the hospital was and trying to point on the map.
The driver noticed the map was of the London area, and tried to explain they needed a Colchester version. She went to her boot to get her own local map, but as she did the pair edged backwards and walked off.
They then joined a second man.
An hour later the woman received a call to ask if she had just withdrawn £200 on her credit card at a Colchester cash machine. She checked her bag and realised the card had been stolen.
APPEARS The main suspect is described as being of eastern European appearance and about 5ft 4ins tall. He had long dark black hair which was tied back in a ponytail. The woman with him was aged about 25 to 30.
Colchester crime reduction officer Colin Stiff said: "Everyone is aware of the scam in which people used to place a map on shop counters as a cover for theft.
"This appears to be a new take on this old scam. We would remind people to keep their car doors shut and secure, even if you are in it."
Anyone with any information is asked to call Colchester police on 0300 333 4444.
Your Say YourColchester
CEOChat, Colchester says...
10:47am Tue 13 May 08
Me too!
A View From Afar, Colchester says...
10:50am Tue 13 May 08
The story sound a bit fishy to me! but the moral is clear - keep your belongings safe and don't keep pin numbers with cards.
Fed Up, N E Essex says...
4:50pm Tue 13 May 08
Mile Ender, Colchester says...
5:08pm Tue 13 May 08
van man, colchester says...
5:37pm Tue 13 May 08
These people should not be here in the first place, but they have nothing to steal in their own country so come here to rob from us.
SEND THEM ALL BACK AND GET OUR COUNTRY BACK
Colin, My Pants says...
6:06pm Tue 13 May 08
Your sayYourColchester
Add your comment
Register for a FREE Essex County Standard account and you can have your say on today's news and sport by adding comments on articles we publish. The best comments may even get published in the paper.
Please register now or sign in below to continue.
In this section
- Clacton: Three arrests after stabbing
- Frinton: Barbecue causes yacht fire
- Tendring: Unexploded bomb warning
- Colchester: Students celebrate racing success
- Colchester: Student's non-stop bus trip.
- Clacton: drinking day tripper nearly drowned
- Colchester: Date set for new court complex
- Colchester: Teenagers praised after rescue
- Lexden: Meeting on transport issues
- Colchester: Plans due for Waitrose store
What's On Live Travel YourColchester
- 17:00 The Quays Open Mic Night »
- 18:30 SPIRITUALIST SERVICE including ... »
- 18:30 Evening service with Holy ... »
- 18:30 spiritual service »
| July 2008 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
| 29 | 30 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 1 | 2 |
Local Information
Enter your postcode, town or place name
Old Timer, Colchester says...
10:25am Tue 13 May 08