POLICE in Bromsgrove are appealing for anyone who might be able to help them trace a group of bogus roofers, who conned a Burcot pensioner out of £660 for work that was never completed.

The victim, an 86-year-old man, was first approached on Saturday, February 15, outside Barclays Bank in Bromsgrove, when a white man asked him for £60 to carry out roof repairs.

He was given the money back at the pensioner’s house, but later the victim was phoned by another man who claimed he was the boss of the roofing company and needed more money for the work.

The two agreed a cash price of £600, which the pensioner returned to his bank to withdraw. When he returned home he was met by another two men who said they were from the roofing company and took the money from him.

On further inspection the victim’s son discovered no work had been carried out on the roof, and the fraud was reported to the police.

Pc Samantha Moore is investigating the incident. She said: “Offences like this are truly despicable and it appears the victim was targeted because he was elderly and vulnerable.

“We would like to hear from anyone who remembers seeing any of these bogus workmen in that area the day after Valentine’s Day or since then. Have they approached you or anyone else you know either offering or claiming to have carried out work?

“It’s disgusting that conmen such as these will prey on the most vulnerable people they can find and if you are approached by them or become aware of them calling on elderly relatives or neighbours then please pick up the phone immediately so that we can catch them in the act.”

Anyone with information about the incident, or who may have been approached in a similar way, should contact Pc Moore at Bromsgrove Police Station on the non-emergency number 101, quoting the incident reference 621-S-150214. Alternatively people can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or at crimestoppers-uk.org.