Cross-Dressing Thief Disguised As 76-Year-Old Woman Stole Thousands From Bank Account


First Posted: 7/02/2012 12:10 Updated: 7/02/2012 12:22   PA

A "cross-dressing rogue" posed as an elderly woman to steal thousands of pounds from her bank account, police have said.

The middle-aged man donned a wig, make-up and camel coat to pass as his 76-year-old victim in a bank.

He is thought to have withdrawn as much as £11,000 from the woman's account at Royal Bank of Scotland branches in Charing Cross, Glasgow city centre and in Cleland, North Lanarkshire, before bank staff raised concerns about the "squared-jaw" impersonator.

The money was taken between 11.20am and 12pm on Thursday February 2.

A Strathclyde Police spokeswoman said: "An extensive inquiry is under way after a cross-dressing rogue targeted an elderly lady.

"The hustle started in January when the elderly female received a phone call from someone telling her to phone the bank.

"As a result of subsequent discussions, the cardholder disclosed her pin number and made arrangements for a courier to collect her card."

The thief then disguised himself as an elderly woman and used the card to withdraw thousands from her account.

Police are examining witness interviews and CCTV footage to try to trace the man.

Pc James Ruddell, of Strathclyde Police, said: "The actual bank card has no monetary value. If there is a problem with the card, the bank would ask you to destroy it and a new card and pin would be sent to you.

"No bank staff know your pin and they will never ask for it. No- one else should ever know your pin, not your husband, wife or children."

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Norman Mitchison
19:46 on 07/02/2012
Saw Mrs.Doubtfire and followed suit.
18:00 on 07/02/2012
I want to forward this story to an older lady as a warning but I don't know how that can be done with The 'Huffington Post. There doesn't seem to be an option on the page as far as I can see - but I do have a habit of missing the obvious sometimes. Can anyone tell me if and how it's done please?? I can sort of see the funny side of this story in a way but I think a fair punishment would be to dress him up like a pantomime dame and stick him in the stocks for a week or so. And the lady victim could hand out the rotten tomatoes! Poor lass!
19:05 on 07/02/2012
Copy and paste it onto a Word document (or similar) then email it.
19:42 on 07/02/2012
Thanks E, I'll do that then. I was just a bit puzzled as to why they don't give the option of just forwarding the story on direct by email like most sites seem to. Maybe Americano's haven't caught up with our technology yet, ha!!! Thanks again. All the best.
21:36 on 07/02/2012
Be careful with the copyright law.
22:04 on 07/02/2012
I never thought of that S. I wonder if anyone has ever been caught that way.And I've often copied great chunks from thousands of pages and sites I guess. Interesting!
16:55 on 07/02/2012
i have heard it all these people make me sick they have no morals wish they catch him and for every penny he stole get all the OAPs to stone him the rotten sod.hopefully if that dosent teach him a lesson he will be too far gone to have learned anything.
16:13 on 07/02/2012
Warning to others banks dont ask for your details over the phone they already have them
16:05 on 07/02/2012
He must have looked convincing to have initially pulled that off! An elderly woman with a hairy face, booming deep voice, dirty fingernails and hairs growing out of her nose, wow I bet she looked a beauty! What on earth were the bank staff doing in serving her in the first place without more proof of identity?!
16:12 on 07/02/2012
Chip and pin. You can withdraw a lot without proving identity.
08:11 on 08/02/2012
its very difficult to tell in scotland (gender) lol