GARDAÍ HAVE advised elderly people not to keep large sums of cash in their homes after two men conned a pensioner out of his life savings in Cork.
The 70-year-old man had withdrawn the money from a bank because he did not think it would be safe on deposit there.
Gardaí were yesterday trying to find the culprits, who are understood to have stolen more than €20,000 in cash when one of the two duped the pensioner into showing him the money at his house and snatched it from him.
The incident happened at about 6.50am on Sunday when a man approached the pensioner outside his home off Sun Valley Drive on Cork’s north side as he was preparing to leave for a pilgrimage to Medjugorje.
The man identified himself as a garda from Gurranebraher Garda station and said they had learned there was going to be a robbery in the area.
He asked the pensioner if he had any money in the house and to check it. The man said that he wanted to mark the cash so it could be recovered later if there was a robbery.
The pensioner confirmed he had money in the house and the man followed him inside. When the pensioner produced an envelope containing the cash, the man snatched it from him and ran from the house to a waiting grey saloon car driven by an accomplice.
The man was not assaulted or threatened during the incident. He reported the theft to gardaí.
Detectives carried out door-to-door inquiries and they have been checking premises in the vicinity for security cameras.
It is understood that the man, who lives alone, had withdrawn the money from a bank about three months ago after becoming concerned that money on deposit might not be secure in the event of the financial crisis worsening.
Gardaí under Supt Con Cadogan have described the man who posed as a garda as stocky, in his late 20s and 5ft 6in to 5ft 8in.
He was wearing dark jeans and a green anorak. Gardaí have appealed to anyone who can help to contact them on 021-494 6200.
Eamon Timmins of Age Action Ireland condemned the theft. He said it was important for elderly people to remember that a few basic security measures could significantly reduce the risk of them becoming victims of crime.
Mr Timmins urged people not to keep large sums of cash at home. He advised elderly people to get simple security measures, such as chains fitted to their doors, and not to open their door to anyone without the chain on and to ask for photo ID.
“This incident in Cork was a very mean crime against a vulnerable person and it will make many other elderly people afraid to go out,” Mr Timmins said, “but it should be pointed out that the elderly are statistically less likely to be the victims of crime if they take proper security measures.”