Rolex Rippers strike again: Female honey trap thieves grab victim's arms and offer him sex for money before fleeing with his expensive watch
A gang of 'honey trap' female thieves dubbed the 'Rolex Rippers' have struck again after stealing an expensive watch from a man while offering him sex.
The man was approached by two women who offered him sex in exchange for money while holding his arms. He was approached around 1.45pm at Somerford Keynes, near Cirencester, Gloucestershire, on October 30 and eventually managed to free his arms from the women.
But he soon realised his Rolex watch was missing, and reported the incident to the police.
The latest incident is believed to be at least the 23rd, with the duo targeting men in Dorset, Hampshire, Surrey, Gloucestershire and Sussex. Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward.
In a lot of cases the women have posed as charity workers with clipboards and have stolen watches from their victims without them realising as they sign a petition.
But other times they have been less subtle and simply ripped the expensive timepieces off the men's wrists.
Detectives hunting two women dubbed the 'Rolex Rippers', who are believed to have targeted at elderly men's expensive watches across southern England this year, released CCTV images
Dorset Police released grainy CCTV images of the two women after a man had his watch stolen in October
In a statement Gloucestershire Police said: 'On October 30 2021 at approximately 1.45pm in Somerford Keynes, two females have approached a male and have engaged the victim in conversation before offering him sex in exchange for money whilst holding on to his arms.
'The victim has pulled his arms free and the women have then left. A short while after the encounter the male has discovered his Rolex watch has been taken.
'There have been a series of crimes similar in their nature happening in Gloucestershire and also in Devon and Cornwall.'
In an earlier incident just weeks ago, an 84-year-old man was assaulted by a pair of women while they yelled 'sex' loudly as a distraction.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE
Previous thefts have also seen the pair, either working together or alone, ask people to sign petitions or strike up conversations asking for directions.
The latest victim described the woman as being 'Eastern European', matching previous reported thefts by the pair who were captured in CCTV last month.
The police spokesperson added: 'The females are described as being Eastern European speaking a language similar to Serbian/Ukrainian/Romanian. One female was described as being about 5 '3, plump build with short dark brown hair styled in a sharp bob cut that sat around the ears.
'The second female was described as being younger than the other female and had shoulder length dark brown hair, wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans with white trainers. This female is described as also being about 5'3 and of a slim build.'
The women have previously approached their male victims - often in their 70s or 80s - under the guise of asking them to sign a petition.
Police have also released the image of a grey car which is connected to the string of thefts
They have then sneakily removed the Rolex watches from their victims' wrists and made off with them.
Two clubs frequented by retired football manager Harry Redknapp in Ferndown and Parkstone in Poole, Dorset, were among those targetted by the women.
Another incident on October 16 saw a man in his 70s targetted in Poole, Dorset.
The two women were affectionate towards the victim, were enquiring about the name of a property and, as he tried to leave, he realised that his watch was missing.
Dorset Police later released a series of images of two women and a vehicle in relation to the Rolex cases.
The women are believed to have struck in Dorset multiple times in Poole, Wimborne, Wareham, Ferndown, Highcliffe and Poundbury.
Hampshire Police said they have at least ten victims, including two brothers, 85 and 91, targeted 80 miles apart in Gloucestershire and Surrey.
The spate of robberies are thought to have begun on May 19 at Stoneham Golf Club near Southampton.
No comments: