Clitheroe conman posing as PC swindles 拢8,000 from couple

Image caption, Police said the man made two attempts to force the couple to part with money

An elderly couple were tricked into handing over 拢8,000 by a "deplorable" fraudster posing as a police officer.

The man first telephoned asking the pair to withdraw 拢40,000, but their bank became suspicious and blocked it.

Police said the next day the offender called again and convinced the woman to hand over 拢8,000 to a "courier" on Wesleyan Row, Clitheroe.

He told the man and woman in their 80s and 90s he was Scotland Yard detective investigating a fraud case.

Police are appealing for help from anybody who was in the area of Trinity Methodist Church on Wesleyan Row at about 16:30 GMT on 30 October, especially if they have dash cam or CCTV footage.

The offender is described as mid-20s with dark hair, a dark complexion and clothing.

Det Con Heather Kerr said: "This is an utterly deplorable offence made all the more callous and tragic by the fact that the offenders groomed the woman into thinking she was assisting a serious police investigation by handing over money.

"Such damage was done to her trust that even when I spoke to her I had to be accompanied by another colleague in uniform."

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