Robbing from the elderly on the rise: Police

The Maldives Police Service on Saturday reported that cases of robbing or looting from elderly citizens by way of fraud and scams have been on the rise.

Police said it has been receiving multiple reports of elderly citizens victimized in similar cases. The authority said that the perpetrators generally introduce themselves to the victims as someone they are familiar with and then proceed to take the victims to various venues and rob them of their belongings.

The law enforcement authority has cautioned the public to be wary of such individuals and their acts. Police further urged the public to be more cautious about their elderly family members while going out.

The authority has requested to report such incidents to its hotline at 3322111 or the emergency contact number 119.

Fraudulent practices and scams have been rising at an alarming rate with multiple people already falling victim to it. There have been several instances where unsuspecting victims have been lured to apartments where the perpetrators intimidate and rob them.