Scammers target elderly couple in Cheltenham

Police are warning people to be vigilant after an elderly couple in Cheltenham were targeted by scammers.

The victims, who are both disabled, had been shopping in the town before returning to their home in Twyning.

They noticed a light grey or white coloured VW Golf drive past before being approached by two men and two women who are believed to have been using the vehicle.

The group offered to help the victims with their shopping and attempted to take their bags.

The elderly male victim noticed that his white iPhone was missing from his back pocket.  He knew it was there when he arrived home but he did not feel anyone remove it.  He asked where his phone was and one of the female suspects handed it to him and said she had found it.

The female victim noticed that her handbag had been unzipped and that items inside had been moved around.  She challenged the group who returned to their car.  The male victim followed the group in his car and they went north on the M5 and were lost to sight.

Nothing is believed to have been taken.

The suspects are described as being white. They spoke in a foreign language to each other and claimed to be from Greece.

Officers are investigating whether the group had followed the couple after spotting them shopping in Cheltenham.

Anyone with information about the incident should contact Gloucestershire Constabulary through our website, quoting incident number 407 of 11 February: https://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/contact/af/contact-us/us/a-crime-that-has-already-been-reported/. You can also contact us on 101.