Elderly man robbed by thief 'who pretended to hug him'
17 November 2019, 18:35
An 88-year-old man has been been robbed by a thief who hugged him posing as a charity worker, police have said.
The victim was accosted by a woman who tapped on his window after he parked his car in a Waitrose car park in Saffron Walden, Essex.
When the man wound down his window, the woman placed a clipboard on his steering wheel, and drew on it.
Believing she was asking for a donation on behalf of a charity, the man gave her a £5 note.
The woman then hugged him for around one minute before leaving, which police say the victim found "odd".
After doing a supermarket shop, the man realised a three-figure sum of money was missing from his pocket.
Police are looking for a white woman with black, shoulder-length hair who was seen carrying a blue clipboard between 2.30pm and 3.00pm on November 5.
Investigating officer Pc Luke Wilkinson said: "We understand the woman may be claiming to be working on behalf of a children's charity and we would like to hear from anyone who has been approached by her or has information.
"Anyone with information should call police on 101 quoting crime reference 42/176312/19."
