Woman charged with conning OAP

A Middleton woman has been arrested after a callous caller conned an Oldham pensioner out of money, claiming she was collecting for a cancer charity.

Paula Helen Magee, 35, of Hopwood Court, Middleton, has been charged with three counts of burglary and three counts of fraud by false representation.

She was due to appear at Oldham Magistrates' Court this morning (Friday 19 June).

Police believe other people in the area could have been targeted by the same woman and are keen to hear from other possible victims.

At around 9.25am on Saturday (13 June), a woman who said she was collecting for Christie’s Cancer Charity called at a house on Oban Avenue.

As the 81-year-old man went back inside to get his wallet, the woman followed him into the lounge and asked for water.

While the victim was in the kitchen, she took the rest of his money from the wallet and left the house.

PC Stewart Lindsay, from the Volume Crime Team, said: “To target elderly people in this way is despicable.”

Anyone who may have been the victim of a similar incident should call 0161 856 1978, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.