The District Prosecutor’s Office in Luban launched an investigation into an attempted “grandparent scam” targeting a 79-year-old resident of Luban, namely an offence under Article 13 § 1 of the Criminal Code in conjunction with Article 286 § 1 of the Criminal Code, in conjunction with Article 294 § 1 of the Criminal Code.
Preliminary findings indicate that on 16 December 2024, at approximately 3:30 p.m., in Luban, an unknown person telephoned the 79-year-old woman and informed her that her daughter and son-in-law had caused an accident in London and that, to avoid criminal liability, she had to pay bail for them. The victim packed 120 gold bars worth no less than PLN 806,000 into two plastic bags bearing the ALDI supermarket logo and then, accompanied by a neighbour, travelled in his car to a location indicated by one of the perpetrators. A 20-year-old resident of Kamienna Góra, Vanesa W., was already waiting for her there. The victim got out of the car and handed her the bags containing the gold bars. Seeing this, the victim’s neighbour, suspecting that she was a fraudster, ran out of the car and detained the perpetrator. Shortly afterwards, an officer of the Criminal Division of the District Police Headquarters in Luban came to his assistance.
After being brought by officers of the District Police Headquarters in Luban to the District Prosecutor’s Office, the detained woman was charged with attempting to defraud property of considerable value.
The offence is classified under Article 13 § 1 of the Criminal Code in conjunction with Article 286 § 1 of the Criminal Code and Article 294 § 1 of the Criminal Code, and is punishable by between 1 and 10 years’ imprisonment.
The suspect did not admit to committing the offence with which she was charged. She gave an explanation.
At the request of the District Prosecutor in Luban, the local District Court ordered pre-trial detention for three months, starting from the time of her arrest.
The suspect’s detention was the result of the vigilance of the victim’s neighbour and an officer of the Criminal Division of the District Police Headquarters in Luban.
Ewa Węglarowicz-Makowska
Press officer
District Prosecutor’s Office in Jelenia Góra