Pensioner kidnapped outside Lidl store (From The Argus)

Pensioner kidnapped outside Lidl store

6:02pm Tuesday 13th November 2007 in

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An 85-year-old man was kidnapped from a bus stop by a gang of robbers posing as police officers.

The pensioner was lured into a car outside the Lidl store in Brighton before being robbed of £200 and then dumped on the street.

It is the latest in a string of sick attacks on the elderly by men posing as police officers.

The elderly victim was waiting at a bus stop outside the Lidl store in Whitehawk Way when he was persuaded to get into a black car by two men.

They showed some sort of ID and told him they had something for him.

When he got into the car the men started to search the victim who then realised they weren't genuine officers.

He asked to be let out but they refused and drove him around the Whitehawk area.

His ordeal ended after they took the cash and dropped him in the Nuthurst Place area of the city.

Chief Inspector Dave Miller, of Sussex Police, said: "These are spineless, pathetic individuals who prey on the elderly.

"He wasn't attacked or threatened with violence but it is still clearly an unpleasant experience.

"The victim was in good health but left badly shaken by what happened.

"It's very unusual for this to happen. Thankfully, it's an unusual occurrence."

The victim, who has not been named, was so shocked officers were unable to take a full statement from him until yesterday.

A team of detectives has been put onto the case and they spent yesterday carrying out door-to-door enquiries, interviewing witnesses and trawling through CCTV footage from the area.

The incident happened at about 5.30pm on Monday night.

Forty minutes later the gang struck again in Knoyle Road, in the Preston Park area of the city.

They visited the home of a woman claiming to be police officers.

They said they had arrested two teenagers who had tried to steal money from her and for her to check her money was safe.

She asked them to leave and afterwards discovered a tin of loose change had disappeared.

Police are linking both attacks to a spate of similar incidents which took place on November 8 between 4.30pm and 9.30pm.

Eight distraction burglaries took place and in five of them the conmen had posed as fake policemen.

Two neighbouring properties in Loder Road, Brighton were the first to be targeted between 4.30pm and 5.30pm.

Both elderly occupants were confronted by the group of men who said they were investigating a burglary at a nearby address and were checking that any valuables and money was safe.

Cash and jewellery was removed from one property and it is not known if anything was stolen from the second Loder Road address.

At around 6.30pm, four men of similar description were disturbed at a property on Brighton Road, Lancing.

A man in his 90s was taken to hospital and treated for shock. He has since been discharged.

At 8.00pm, three men were disturbed by an 85-year-old woman at her home in King Street, Arundel who matched the previous descriptions.

They said they were police and stole some cash.

At 9.30pm, two men in dark clothing and peaked hats said they were calling at the home of the 82 year old woman in Frenches Mead, Billingshurst asking is she was alright because of the fireworks being let off. Leaving the woman extremely distressed, they made off with some cash.

Officers believe the bogus cops may be the same gang responsible for a number of attacks in October when elderly residents across West Sussex and Brighton and Hove were robbed by men claiming to be from the waterboard.

Mr Miller said: "They may be the same gang and have changed their modus operandi.

"We have a team of detectives on the case and I am confident they will be bought to justice.

"All genuine callers, including police staff, will carry an identification card. All Sussex Police officers carry a warrant card which shows their photograph. If you have any doubts, ask for their name and warrant number and call Sussex Police on 0845 60 70 999 to establish whether the officer is genuine or not."

Anyone with information about the crimes can contact police on 0845 60 70 999 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. They may be entitled to a reward.