Browse Sections
Interactive
Popular Sections
Rain and drizzleNews
| 
Submit Comments
advertisement
Conmen in £8,000 wages snatch
Bethan Dorsett1/ 5/2007
A WOMAN has had £8,000 stolen from her after falling victim to an elaborate plot hatched by three well-dressed conmen.
Jean Lampe was sprayed on her back with make-up, a trick normally used by airport criminals, as she walked through the Exchange shopping centre.
The thieves had targeted her handbag in which she was carrying company wages, withdrawn from a bank minutes earlier.
Mrs Lampe, the 51-year-old manager at Roydon Polythene Ltd based at Fieldhouse Industrial Estate, has told detectives of hearing what she thought was a drinks can being opened behind her. It was, in fact, make-up
"I heard this spray behind me and turned around to see the man I thought was responsible," she said.
"He did not seem aware of what had happened, so I walked on, but then when I looked down, I saw my legs had been sprayed with foundation."
Mrs Lampe then walked into the Card Factory where she was approached by another man, who was in his 20s.
"He was Italian-looking, very well-dressed, polite and softly spoken," she added.
"He asked if I had seen my jacket and when I took it off I realized it was covered in foundation.
"He then took out a piece of kitchen roll, which I thought was a bit odd as it hadn't even been folded and started distracting me, while another man also approached behind me.
"It was only later, when I looked into the pocket of my bag, that I realised the £8,000 had disappeared."
She added: "They may have followed me from the bank. I felt both stupid and angry after it happened. They were very professional and also very young looking."
Detective Inspector Daryl Chadwick said the same trick was often used in airports by thieves wanting easy pickings, such as passports and holiday cash.
"It is not a common trick and I would say this is a one-off in Rochdale," he said.
"This was a well-planned theft and I would urge people to be on the look out for anyone using such distraction techniques."
The offenders were all men, aged between 19 and 25, with black hair.
One was about 5ft 5ins tall and wore a brown jacket.
Most recent 2 of 5 user comments
Even if it a genuine case, I dont believe in this day and age someones wandering around with £8,000 in staff wages doing their shopping!
Whats wrong with wages being paid directly into staffs bank accounts?
Its 2007, not 1977
3/05/2007 at 19:00
Got an opinion you want to share?Should the town erect a statue to Jock McAvoy?
Poll has now ended
| Card | BT Fee |
| Barclaycard Platinum | 2.9% |
| Capital One BT Platinum Card | 3.0% |
| Virgin Credit Card | 2.98% |
| Barclaycard OnePulse | 2.5% |
| Egg Card | 3.0% |
| Company | Typical APR |
| Platinum Loans | 7.5% |
| Barclays | 7.9% |
| Moneyback Bank | 8.4% |
| Alliance & Leicester | 8.7% |
| Halifax (Semi-exclusive) | 8.8% |
| Bank of Scotland (Semi-exclusive) | 8.8% |
| Provider | AER* |
|
ICICI BANK HiSAVE Fixed Rate Account |
7.20% |
|
ICICI BANK HiSAVE Fixed Rate Account |
7.00% |
|
ICICI BANK HiSAVE Fixed Rate Account |
7.00% |
|
ARRAY(0x2b7c8f783140) 6 Month Fixed Rate Savings Account |
6.60% |
16/05/2007 at 17:01