A DUNDEE pensioners’ group has warned of an “epidemic” after a recent spate of thefts targeting OAPs in the city.
Last week, news broke of a 78-year-old man having up to £300 stolen from his home at sheltered housing on Hill Street by an opportunist thief.
Yesterday, the Tele told the story of a deaf elderly woman, who lives in sheltered accommodation in Ardler, suffering a minor stroke after a thief burst into her home.
The 68-year-old had been followed home on the bus by the female culprit, who then proceeded to enter her home when she opened the door and made off with £200.
In a second incident at the same complex, an elderly man was approached by someone early in the morning, claiming to be there to help someone move house.
These latest developments came after a carer appeared in court for stealing the lottery winnings of an elderly couple at their city home.
Dundee City Council sent out a warning to the various sheltered housing complexes in the city on Monday encouraging them to be vigilant.
Gordon Samson, secretary of Dundee Pensioners’ Forum, said the thefts were part of a wider problem in the city.
He said: “It is easy to just talk about the thefts, but we also need to look at the cause, which often comes down to the drug problem.
“We need to be looking overall at what is happening in Dundee and we have to tackle this quickly before it becomes an epidemic.
“There is a chance that people in desperate circumstances see these reports of OAPs being targeted and get ideas when they realise it is possible, which is how it risks becoming an even bigger problem.
“It is very concerning to see this recent spike in thefts from vulnerable people.”
But Dave Barrie, manager of charity Addaction, suggested it was too simple to blame such crimes on substance misuse alone.
He said: “I think it is much more complicated. It is very easy to point the finger at people with substance abuse issues.
“Changes in the welfare system are affecting thousands of people, many of whom do not have substance misuse problems.
“We have highly-skilled police officers in place to find and prosecute those exploiting vulnerable people and we need to be careful not to jump to the wrong conclusions.”
A spokesman for the charity Age Scotland said: “The recent cases targeting older people in their homes highlight the importance of taking a few extra precautions with security.
“We would encourage older residents to use a door chain or check through a window, if possible, to see who is calling on you.
“In addition, we would hope that Police Scotland is taking every possible action to ensure that the culprits of these horrible crimes are brought swiftly to justice.”
Councillor Alan Ross, Dundee’s deputy health and social work convener, encouraged communities to look out for vulnerable individuals. He said: “It is totally unacceptable for the most vulnerable in our society to be targeted and I sincerely hope those affected by these crimes are OK.
“I am sure Police Scotland are doing everything they can to identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
“I would encourage members or the public to keep an eye out for members of their community they know to be particularly vulnerable and to report any suspicious activity. Nobody should have to suffer from this kind of crime.”