Elderly women robbed of gold necklaces in German towns

Police in North Rhine‑Westphalia are investigating a series of necklace robberies targeting senior women. On 8 June in Lünen, an 87‑year‑old and a 77‑year‑old had their gold chains forcibly taken by two men who fled on foot. Witnesses described one suspect as about 1.67 m tall, aged 20‑30, with dark hair and a moustache, and the other as 1.80‑1.90 m tall, around 30, with a full beard and a sand‑coloured T‑shirt. The police are also looking into a similar theft on 6 June in nearby Holzwickede, where an 81‑year‑old lost her chain after a man knocked on her door.

In Karlsruhe, a different method was used on a Wednesday morning when a 75‑year‑old cyclist was approached by a silver‑coloured limousine. While she gave directions, a woman exiting the vehicle pretended to thank her, embraced her and slipped a fake gold chain onto her neck, stealing the original. The three suspects, believed to be from the eastern‑European region, fled in the car. Police have appealed for witnesses and vehicle details to aid the investigations.