CCTV appeal in distraction theft of £3,000 in Warrington NatWest bank

As previously reported in the Warrington Guardian, at around 3pm on June 19, officers were made aware of reports of a distraction theft at a bank on Sankey Street.

The victim, a man, had withdrawn £3,000 from Nationwide building society and was taking the money to deposit it at NatWest bank across the road.

Now, the crime has featured on national TV on BBC’s Crimewatch, with Cheshire Police releasing CCTV of the incident in a bid to catch those responsible.

As the victim made his way over to the bank, he noticed two people were watching him – a woman wearing an eye-catching red coat and a bald man wearing a flat cap.

The pair followed him inside, with the woman speaking Spanish and looking ‘visibly upset’.

She engaged in conversation with the victim, who placed the white envelope containing his money down to talk to her.

“I have always taken cash out, then taken it across the street to the other bank. To me, I was playing a part in keeping the branches open,” he said on Crimewatch.

The perpetrators standing behind the victim in NatWest bank on Sankey Street. Picture: Cheshire Police/BBC

“I saw that there was a queue, so I thought I would just pay it in using the pay-in ATM.

“I noticed a woman came in and that she was very stressed. I could not concentrate as she was making such a scene.

“I felt bad for her, and I thought if I could translate for her, I could give her message to the bank staff.

“She got me to face her, which was the other way to my money. It was only a few minutes after that I saw the envelope was gone.”

CCTV shows that while his back is turned, the man in the flat cap picks up the victim’s money, puts it in his inside coat pocket and walks out.

More video from outside shows him running away down the street, shortly followed by the woman in the red coat.

They are then picked up on CCTV running through Golden Square Shopping Centre, changing their clothes as they go.

The pair, described as possibly south or eastern European, or central American, get on a bus heading towards the Stockton Heath area, disappearing from camera on Midland Way.

The male thief removed his flat cap and changed his coat, after earlier being spotted running through Golden Square Shopping Centre. Picture: Cheshire Police/BBC

The victim previously told the Warrington Guardian that he was left ‘absolutely devastated’, has changed his approach to using banks and handling money, is now scared to visit bank branches and has decided to avoid handling cash completely.

He also said that he believes this type of crime is on the rise, and wished to raise awareness of it as ‘criminals are getting smarter’.

Speaking further on Crimewatch, he added: “It was £3,000. It had taken me so long to save that up, and suddenly it was gone.

“I am quite a chatty, outgoing person. I try and be a nice person and help people where I can. It gives me a sense of meaning.

“My main goal with it was to travel – Mexico, Spain, the USA. Travelling does not come cheap, so it has taken extra effort to save for that.”

On the impact of the crime, he continued: “I just had a panic attack, and I have never had a panic attack before. I did not know what to do.

“For days after, I could not eat or drink. It plays on your mind, what if I had done this or that.

“It can really change your life, the way you look at people, treat people. I wouldn’t help people the way I would before. I am more cautious of everything.

The woman in the red coat running through Golden Square Shopping Centre, and then minutes later having changed her distinctive coat. Picture: Cheshire Police/BBC

“If they do not get caught, they will keep getting away with it, so I hope the police can catch them and get them off the streets.”

Also featuring on the BBC programme was PC Graham Davies, who responded to the emergency call. He said: “The victim was very upset indeed.

“When it does happen on your beat, you do take it personally that someone so brazen and blatant has done such a thing to someone.

“They have no regard for the victim. They just see the money and the payday.

“It is not just the cash. It has had a profound effect on the victim.

“They are clearly travelling the UK, targeting people at vulnerable moments in order to steal large amounts of cash, and I am dying to meet them.”

He described the crime as ‘very well planned’ and carried out with ‘military precision’ to ‘take advantage of this gentleman’s good nature’.

“Sadly, as this happens so often, it is called a bank follow, where this gentleman has been watched withdrawing his money,” he added.

PC Graham Davies attended the incident. Picture: BBC

“If anyone is engaging with you in a bank when you are paying money in, you need to ask yourself why that is taking place, and why they are not dealing with staff.

“If anyone is getting too close to you or distracting you when you are at a cash point, once again, that has got to be a red flag.”

A spokesman for Cheshire Police said: “No arrests have been made at this time, and enquiries are ongoing.”

Anyone with any information is asked to call Cheshire Police on 101, quoting IML 1850955, or visit cheshire.police.uk/tell-us

A NatWest spokesman said: “We are sorry for the distressing experience the customer has been through and will support the police with their enquiries.”

To see the Crimewatch feature, visit bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0023r8n/crimewatch-live-series-20-10-attack-at-the-beach

The Warrington Guardian has asked Cheshire Police for the video footage to share, in a bid to catch those responsible.