A second elderly man was targeted by a female sex attacker who groped him and stole his gold chain, it has emerged – days before another pensioner was assaulted and had his Rolex watch stolen.
The victim, in his 70s, was walking on a footpath in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, at around 12.40pm on March 19 when the woman – described as ‘Malaysian or Thai’ – began chatting to him, touching him inappropriately and offering sexual services.
She then grabbed a gold chain from around his neck before running off with it.
It came just days before a different pensioner fell victim to a similar theft in the area, which saw a woman approach him before grabbing his Rolex watch.
Thames Valley Police told how the woman started offering him sexual services and touching him inappropriately over his clothing, before grabbing the timepiece and fleeing the scene.
The theft sparked fears of a return of The Rolex Rippers – a female gang who stole watches off elderly men’s wrists in 2021.
The gang – linked to at least 15 crimes – used distraction techniques such as posing as charity workers or pretending to carry out surveys to stop their victims, before attempting to cuddle the men while stripping valuable timepieces from their arms.
Romanian national Stefania Tinica was the only member of the group, described by police as being made up of eastern European women, ever caught.
A pensioner was targeted by a woman between Jackson Road and Aston Close (pictured) on March 19, it has emerged. He was groped before having his gold chain stolen
The recent theft reported first, which happened on Richmond Road in Aylesbury on April 6, saw a woman wearing a baseball cap approach a pensioner before sexually assaulting him and stealing his watch.
Now, a previous theft on a footpath between Jackson Road and Aston Close in Aylesbury has emerged, which also saw a woman wearing a baseball cap approach an elderly man before groping him and stealing his gold chain.
She was aged in her early to mid-thirties and around 5ft to 5ft 2ins tall. The woman in the other theft was also around 5ft – with police currently linking the two incidents.
Investigating officer Detective Constable Mandy Cutler said: ‘This incident has occurred in the middle of the afternoon in Aylesbury and has very similar circumstances to a similar incident which occurred last week on 8 April.
‘At this stage, I am treating these incidents as linked to each other.’
The Rolex Ripper gang from 2021 are thought to have carried out raids in Dorset, Hampshire, West Sussex, Surrey and Gloucestershire, as well as the one in Cheshire. Most of the cases involved older men being targeted.
Romanian national Stefania Tinica was snared by police at Luton airport as she tried to flee the country, and was jailed for 40 months over her role in a successful theft in Poole in May 2021, as well as a failed robbery four months prior in Cheshire.
Days earlier, a different elderly man was sexually assaulted by a woman on nearby Richmond Road (pictured) and had his Rolex stolen
Romanian national Stefania Tinica, then 40, was the only member of The Rolex Rippers ever caught. She was jailed for 40 months in 2022 for her role in one theft and another attempted theft
Detective Constable Cutler added today: ‘I am also keeping an open mind as to whether these two incidents are linked to a wider issue of similar such incidents occurring elsewhere in the country.
‘We are liaising with partner forces to ascertain whether there are any discernible links to these offences.
‘I am appealing to anybody who was in the area of Jackson Road on 19 March this year and believe that they witnessed this incident to please get in touch with Thames Valley Police.
‘You can do so by reporting online or by calling us on 101, quoting reference 43260136355.
‘Digital evidence, such as dash-cam, CCTV, ring doorbell or mobile phone footage can also be uploaded to our dedicated portal for this investigation.
‘Both victims in these two cases are being supported and we are determined to bring to justice those who are responsible for these two incidents.
‘I appreciate that incidents such as these will cause concern in the local community, but we are thoroughly investigating and making enquiries, including house to house enquiries as we seek to identify and prosecute those responsible.
‘I would urge anybody who has any information or concerns to please get in touch with us. You will be listened to and supported, and any information, no matter how significant this may seem, may be crucial in assisting this investigation.’
