Bank staff save Church Stretton woman from bogus callers
Thursday 29th July 2010, 10:20AM BST.
Bank staff prevented an elderly woman in Shropshire falling victim to bogus callers after becoming suspicious when she wanted to withdraw hundreds of pounds from her account.
Staff at the Lloyds TSB branch in Church Stretton alerted police when the 78-year-old customer came into the bank asking for the cash to pay two men for doing gardening work at her home.
Police said today the men had initially charged the woman £450 for hedge cutting yesterday but the bill soared to £750 when the pair claimed they had done other work a year ago.
Detective Inspector Sarah Wagstaff, of West Mercia Police, said: “Their suspicions were raised because the lady seemed confused and anxious.
“They asked her a few questions and she said two men were waiting down the road to be paid for cutting some hedges. They initially wanted £450 but then increased it to £750, saying they had done some other work a year ago.”
DI Wagstaff praised the bank staff and said: “The bank obviously knew the lady and sensed she may be acting under duress.”
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Thank goodness the bank was on the ball. £450 for hedge cutting, words fail me!!!!
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In an age of “data protection”, how refreshing it is to learn that employees of a bank have used their initiative and saved an innocent woman from evil ne’er do gooders. I commend them and, as a taxpayer and thus de facto shareholder of said bank, I urge their boss to give all staff concerned a modest bonus as soon as possible, as well as an official recognition in the in-house magazine.
Theresa May, the Home Secretary, has decided that we need to move on from the age of the ASBO and more towards local community involvement in deciding deterrent and punishment.
I agree and I’m all for it.
The LTSB staff were the deterrent, so now it’s time for the community to punish.
Next task for the local community in Church Stretton, (in co-operation with the police, of course): find the two men and bring them to book; then, assuming that they are found guilty of preying on this elderly woman, don’t bother with an ASBO or a community service order, simply whip them to within a millimeter of their lives one Saturday morning and leave them in a cage on public view for the weekend.
Yes, I’m getting the feel for this Big Society idea. We’re all in this together, so let’s get to it. Find these two “gardeners”!
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