Conmen stealing cash from Walsall pensioners
Pensioners in Walsall are being driven to banks and forced to withdraw hundreds of pounds by rogue traders demanding extra cash for gardening work.
There have been at least two cases this month where unsuspecting elderly residents have been caught by the scam in the town.
Luckily, in one case, suspicious staff at Halifax on The Bridge managed to stop the victim, a 66-year-old man from Bloxwich, from handing over £2,000 after noticing the large withdrawal.
That incident took place on February 1, West Midlands Police revealed today, and, three days later, a 76-year-old man from Brownhills withdrew £400 from a cash machine near to his home and handed it over.
In both cases, the victims were approached on their doorstep by conmen offering to do gardening work, including repairing fencing, for a low price. However, when the work is completed, they have then demanded hundreds of pounds more. When the victims said they did not have such sums in the house, they were driven to their bank and told to withdraw the money.
After the first scam was foiled by bank staff, police were called to the scene but the conmen, who had been waiting in a nearby car park for the pensioner to return with the money, had fled.
As well as getting £400 from the Brownhills resident, police also believe the conmen got money out of his neighbour. Police are appealing for information and have issued a description of the men. The rogue traders are described as white, slim to stocky build and with dark hair. Their height ranges from 5ft 10ins to 6ft and they are aged from around 23 to 59.
It is not the first time elderly residents have been targeted in the borough.
Last year, staff at the HSBC in Brownhills were able to stop a man aged 77 from being duped of £1,000.
He had been marched to the bank by rogue traders who had offered to do guttering work on his home.
