Scottish OAPs stealing in shops
An army of shoplifting pensioners from Scotland are believed to be operating in the Black Country, traders across the region were warned today.
The unlikely band of thieving OAPs, some in their 80s, have been netting up to £1,000 a day on their travels around the country.
The group are known to the police as The Colman Gang. Officers in Northumberland sent out an alert after several incidents in the north of the country.
Today Peter Griffin, boss of Sandwell Traders Association, described them as "expert thieves" whose age works for rather than against them and said they had been seen operating in local shops.
He said between 25-30 per cent of shoplifting in Sandwell was committed by people from outside the area, including purse-snatchers from Poland,
But by far the biggest threat at the moment he said came from the invasion of artful dodgers, some using walking sticks, from across the Scottish border.
It is common to be targeted by thieves touring the country stealing cash from tills and handbags – but pensioners were a new brand of shoplifter, said Mr Griffin.
He added: "They are superb thieves, despite many being in their 70s – the oldest arrested was in his 80s."
