Senior citizen falls into a trick

MUKAH: A septuagenarian lost about RM10,000 in belongings to a woman pretending to offer him welfare aid.

Mukah district police chief DSP Omar Bakhtiar Yacoob said according to a report by the 70-year- old victim, the victim was shopping at a market when he was hugged by an unknown woman (the suspect) in her 30s.

“The suspect introduced herself to the victim as a worker from the District Office who helps senior citizens and wished to offer the victim welfare aid and the victim was then invited to go to the victim’s own house in Kampung Petanak using a white Hilux, where two men waited,” Omar said in a press conference at Mukah Police Headquarters yesterday.

Not realising that it was a trick, the senior citizen obligingly followed the suspect’s instruction.

“After they went back to the victim’s house, the suspect brought the senior citizen to a run- down hut near Anggun Beach Resort for a photo session.

“As soon as the senior citizen was out of the car, leaving his belongings and bags in the Hilux, the suspect acted as though she was going to take a photo then abruptly told the victim that her phone’s battery had run out, and headed back to the car and then zoomed off, leaving the senior citizen there,” Omar said.

The incident happened around 11.30am on April 8, and was reported to the police on the same day by the victim.

Omar likened the incident to a previous case last September, when a senior citizen lost precious belongings after he was hypnotised, and said although such cases were rare they seemed to be making a comeback.

He also advised the community in Mukah to always be on guard and not be easily taken in by strangers especially if they acted in a suspicious manner, and to always give such information to the police.