Tricksters take £6,000 from 80-year-old woman

CALLOUS conmen fleeced an 80-year-old woman out of £6,600 for non-existent roof repairs.

Police are hunting four men who twice tricked the Oldham woman out of money.

The victim was alone at her home on Nadin Street on February 18, when a man knocked at her door and claimed to be doing roof repairs on a nearby house and “noticed some of her roof tiles needed replacing”.

The victim handed over £2,200 in cash later that day for materials, before subsequently handing over another £4,400 two days later to a different man claiming to work for the same company. No work was done and the men haven’t been seen since.

The men were driving a white Transit-style van with ladders on the roof and red lettering on the side.

The four are white, the first around 24, around 5ft 10in, of slim build and clean shaven with short, brown hair. He spoke with a local accent and wore a yellow hi-vis jacket.

The second is around 40-50, 5ft 5in, of chunky build and had a Liverpool accent. He was wearing a cap and brown coat.

The third is around 5ft 7in and of medium build and the fourth around 20-21 and around 6ft tall, of slim build and had a local accent.

Constable Andrew Penman said: “They stole a considerable amount of money under the pretence of carrying out work they never had any intention of carrying out.

“Hopefully this appeal will hgelp us to identify them - and provides another warning to the public that they should absolutely not hand over cash to anyone offering unsolicited work - certainly don’t hand over money for work not yet carried out.”

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800-555 111.