Elderly woman scammed in distraction burglary as fake tradesman steals wallet
An 83-year-old woman was targeted in a distraction burglary after a man posed as a tradesman at her home. The suspect took a down payment before stealing her wallet and fleeing on a bicycle. Police are now searching for the man, who fits a detailed description. The incident began when the man rang the woman's doorbell, claiming to be a tradesman offering repair services. She let him inside, and he asked to inspect an area in the basement that supposedly needed work. While there, he pointed out issues and convinced her to make a down payment.
After receiving the money, the man left the house quickly, riding away on a bicycle. It was only later that the woman realised her black leather wallet was missing. She described the suspect as being between 40 and 45 years old, around 1.80 metres tall, with an average build. He had short black hair, dark eyes, and was wearing a baseball cap, a black sweatshirt with white lettering, and black pants. Meanwhile, in an unrelated case, police have made progress in 'Operation Alice,' a global crackdown on a Darknet child pornography network. Authorities have shut down over 373,000 sites and identified 440 of the estimated 600 suspects worldwide. A 35-year-old Chinese man is believed to be the main suspect. In Germany, searches were carried out on 14 individuals across nine states, with storage media seized for evaluation in Forchheim. The local suspect remains free while investigations continue. The operation involves 23 countries working through Europol, targeting users who paid for illegal content between February 2020 and July 2025. No further witness statements have been reported, and the investigation remains ongoing.
The woman's stolen wallet and the suspect's escape are now under police investigation. Authorities have a clear description of the man and are urging anyone with information to come forward. In the separate 'Operation Alice' case, international efforts continue to dismantle the network, with further arrests possible as evidence is analysed.
