Thieves retrieve funds using pilfered bank cards
The police in Bielefeld are seeking the public's help in identifying a woman suspected of stealing wallets from two seniors in separate incidents.
According to the latest reports, the woman was last seen on Amtsstraße, having left the bank branch at Jöllenbeck market square via Amtsstraße towards Jöllenbecker Straße. She was described as a woman of normal build, approximately 165 cm to 170 cm tall, with long blonde to brown hair tied in a bun. The woman was wearing a light baseball cap, light jeans, and a face mask, and appeared to be coughing heavily or feigning coughs.
The first incident occurred between 09:00 and 10:30 at the intersection of Jöllenbecker Straße and Beckendorfstraße, where a senior's wallet was stolen. A witness reported seeing the woman near Jöllenbeck Market Square heading via Amtsstraße toward Jöllenbecker Straße; it is unclear if she entered a vehicle.
In a separate incident, an elderly woman's wallet was stolen between 11:30 and 12:15 at a discount market on Braker Straße. The police are unsure if this incident is related to the first one.
The police are asking if anyone saw the woman enter a vehicle, and are advising increased vigilance while shopping. They recommend keeping an eye on people moving around and securing wallets and phones in pockets close to the body.
For any press inquiries, the police can be contacted at Polizeipräsidium Bielefeld / Kriminalkommissariat 15 / 0521/545-0. The police's crime prevention website, unser-website.nrw/, also provides information on pickpocket methods and how to protect oneself.
The police's contact details for outside of office hours are also provided. Anyone with information is asked to come forward and contact the police. The suspect allegedly withdrew money using the senior's bank card shortly after the incident, which adds a sense of urgency to the case.
