People in the United Kingdom were shocked when police released a sketch of a robbery suspect with an extremely weird-looking face.
At between 2:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., two men claiming to be from Orbit Housing tricked their way into an apartment in Hertford Place.
One of the men with a weird-looking face distracted the occupant, a woman in her 40s, while the other man searched the property.
Weird
When the victim realized what they were doing, she ordered them to leave. The men left with a large amount of her cash.
After police published the sketch of the weird-looking suspect, the image went viral.
In response to people’s disbelief, Warwickshire Police police wrote: “We can confirm that this is real and that we anticipated the attention. But jokes aside, it was created from a description provided and it’s serious as a woman was a victim of a horrible crime.
“Hopefully, the attention will mean we identify the offender and bring him to justice quicker.”
Warwickshire Police offered the following advice to help people avoid falling victim to distraction burglary.
Unwanted
Beware of anyone who says they are in a hurry. If in doubt, call a neighbor or friend. Check to see who is at the door by using your door viewer, or looking through a front window.
Always put the chain on before you open the door as this is a barrier against unwanted guests.
When an unexpected guest claims they work for one of the utility companies, they must be able to quote your password and unique customer number and produce an identity card.
As added proof of identity, genuine trades people should carry an identification card with their photograph on.
Make a note of your customer number, which can be found at the top of the utility bill and keep it handy as this number is unique to your household.