An elderly man was targeted in a charity scam in Rustington after a woman stole cash from him under the pretence of collecting donations. Sussex Police are now appealing for witnesses to come forward.
The incident happened at around midday on December 18 in The Street, Rustington, near Specsavers. The victim, a man in his 90s, was approached by a woman who claimed she was raising money for a charity supporting deaf people. When the man took out his wallet to make a donation, the woman attempted to snatch it from him. Although he managed to keep hold of the wallet, the suspect ran off with a larger amount of his cash.
The woman is described as being around 30 to 40 years old, approximately 5ft 6in tall, with dark hair. At the time she was wearing a dark long coat with the hood up and was carrying a clipboard.
Police believe the offender deliberately targeted a vulnerable victim by posing as a charity worker and are urging anyone who witnessed the incident, recognises the description, or has CCTV or dashcam footage from the area at the time to contact them. Officers are also keen to hear from anyone who may have been approached in a similar way.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Sussex Police online or by calling 101, quoting reference 733 of 18/12.
Police have reminded residents to be cautious when approached in public places for donations and advise people to donate only through verified and trusted channels to avoid falling victim to scams.
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