OAPs robbed in heatwave con

THIEVES have used the heatwave to trick their way into old people's homes and rob them of valuables - in one woman's case, her life savings.

Each time the method for the Rennes robberies is the same: a woman turns up at an OAP's door saying she is from the mairie or the Ville de Rennes and is checking that the householder is coping with the heat.

She coaxes the householder into one room - allowing her accomplice to search other rooms for valuables.

Newspaper Ouest France reported that the Brittany capital had seen at least four thefts by the "Good Samaritans" and several other attempted thefts.

One robbery alone saw the two thieves grab a woman's life savings of several thousand euros and over the past week they are thought to have stolen several thousand more in goods and cash.

Police have warned people to be on the alert for the two women, both aged between 40 and 50 and of European appearance.

They say that if the Rennes authorities are going to call on people on their "at risk" register they will always phone first and never turn up at people's doors unannounced.
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