Appeal after con artist steals from 90-year-old Blairgowrie veteran

Police are hunting a woman who posed as a charity worker to steal a three-figure sum of money from a 90-year-old veteran.

The thief claimed she was collecting on behalf of a cancer charity to gain access to her victim’s home. She then distracted the vulnerable pensioner, a former member of the armed forces, before making off with his cash.

A police spokesperson said: “To make matters worse, the money that was taken had been collected by him for the Cystic Fibrosis trust. This is a charity very close to the man and his family.”

The police confirmed they were making inquiries into the distraction theft, which took place on Friday in Blairgowrie.

Anyone with any information on the theft, or who has had similar experiences of cold calling at their homes in the last few days, is urged to call the police on 101, or talk to any officer.

Last month the community acting sergeant at Blairgowrie police station, David Summers, told The Courier there had been a concerted effort to clamp down on bogus callers.

He revealed that officers visited vulnerable people in the area, handing out leaflets about scams and asking neighbours to keep an eye out for any suspicious activity.