Udine, State Police arrests 2 people while defrauding an elderly couple
The two were arrested for the crime of aggravated fraud and reported to the Judicial Authority also for the crime of receiving stolen goods, before being taken to prison in Udine during the night.
Udine, State Police arrests 2 people while defrauding an elderly couple
In the evening, State Police personnel serving in the Flying Squad of the Udine Police Headquarters arrested two Italian citizens resident in another region, a 36-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman, for aggravated fraud against an elderly couple from Udine.
In the late morning, the officers had begun a surveillance operation of the two people who were moving suspiciously around the city on board a car, moving along various streets in the center. At around 17.00:XNUMX pm, the two entered a house on Via Montello inhabited by an elderly couple from Udine, then came out and were stopped by the police with some jewels, just stolen, still in their pockets.
The judicial police activity made it possible to ascertain that an hour earlier the two residents had been contacted on their landline by a self-styled lawyer who, having convinced them that their daughter had caused a serious road accident and that in order not to be arrested it was necessary to pay a bail of 13.000 euros, told them to gather everything of value they had in the house and hand it over shortly thereafter to the policeman who showed up at the door.
Shortly afterwards, a woman actually showed up, identifying herself as a policeman, and, having entered the house, had him hand over three gold rings and a Rolex watch; Immediately afterwards the accomplice, who had been waiting on the street until then, also entered the house and moved some furniture in the bedroom in the hope of finding something else hidden, before fleeing with the young woman, but they were stopped by the officers and taken to the police station. In addition to what was just stolen, the man was hiding under his trousers a bag containing three other valuable watches and several gold jewels, probably the proceeds of a similar crime committed the previous day in the Padua area and for which further investigations are underway to identify the true owners.
The two were arrested for the crime of aggravated fraud and reported to the Judicial Authorities also for the crime of receiving stolen goods, before being taken to prison in Udine during the night.
The rings and watch were already returned to the elderly people of Udine during the filing of the complaint and the following day they sent a warm thank you note and good wishes and a Christmas basket to the Police Headquarters as a sign of gratitude.
Today the GIP of Udine validated the arrest and ordered the precautionary measure of house arrest for the man and the obligation to reside in the province of residence for the woman.
Given the quantity of valuable goods seized during the search, the provenance of which is unknown, in order to return them to their owners and thus trace the possible victims of other scams, even attempted ones, by those arrested today, citizens who recognize them in the images we publish are asked to contact the Udine Police Headquarters and ask to speak to the Flying Squad staff.
On this occasion, the State Police recommends everyone, especially the elderly who live alone, to follow these few but very useful tips/recommendations.
-If someone calls you on the phone saying that a relative of yours needs money to avoid being arrested or for medical care, hang up, it's a scam! And if you want to call the relative who is in difficulty, do so with another telephone or cell phone, different from the one on which you received the suspicious call, because scammers are able to "keep busy" the telephone line, not allowing you to find the line or allowing you only to speak with another of their accomplices.
-Do not open the door to strangers or let them into your home, even if they are wearing uniforms or claim to be employees of public utility companies.. If in doubt, do not hesitate to contact the Emergency Number 112 and ask for assistance.
-Do not give money to strangers who identify themselves as agents, officials of public or private bodies, lawyers: remember that no body, and certainly not the police force, sends personnel to homes to pay bills or fines, to make refunds or replace counterfeit banknotes. Do not put money and jewelry in the refrigerator or other places indicated by the alleged agents: they are not carrying out any disinfestation and there is no danger! Instead, call the State Police immediately!
-Keep a diary with the numbers of public utility services next to your phone, so you have it at hand in case of need or checks. And in any case, never call, in case of suspicion, numbers provided by the stranger at the door or on the phone to get reassurance: on the other end of the phone there will always be an accomplice of the criminal!
-A piece of advice also for the younger ones and the neighbors of elderly people: do not leave elderly people alone, take an interest in their daily life, remind them to call you for any doubts or needs, or if they receive visits from strangers, and do not hesitate to call the State Police to report any anomalous or suspicious circumstances involving your elderly neighbor.
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