Prague scammer posing as a courier swindles pensioner out of 4.8 million crowns in gold

Prague police have released CCTV footage showing a man in a cap standing outside an apartment building, repeatedly showing an elderly man carrying a bag the screen of his phone. The incident took place on Wednesday, September 2, on Sudoměřská Street in Prague 3, near the Flora shopping centre and the Olšany Cemetery.

According to police spokesman Jan Daněk, before this scene even took place, an unknown fraudster had called an elderly couple, aged 88 and 89, claiming to be their nephew. He told them his son had allegedly been in a serious accident in which a motorcyclist had died, and that he now faced prison unless a large bail payment was made — which he promised to repay the very next day.

How the scam evolved

When the elderly couple admitted they didn't have that kind of cash on hand, the scammer didn't miss a beat — he instantly changed tactics. Learning that the couple owned investment gold, he convinced them that the precious metal would work just as well as a cash deposit.

Following instructions given over the phone, the 88-year-old man packed gold bars worth nearly 4.8 million crowns into a grey shopping bag. He then walked out to the building on Sudoměřská Street and handed the bag over to a stranger who claimed to be the courier sent to collect it. It was this man who was caught on camera.

Suspect description and the investigation's theory

According to police, the suspect is around 50 years old, of stocky build, roughly 160 centimetres tall, with dark skin, and speaks Czech. His face is difficult to make out on the recording, so police are hoping that someone who knows him — or a chance witness — will be able to identify him.

Forensic experts from Prague's 3rd district police have already determined that the stolen gold bars were cut into smaller pieces — around 30 centimetres long and about 0.5 centimetres wide. It appears the criminals intend to sell the gold piecemeal on the black market or through pawnshops.

Police appeal for help

Officers are asking jewellers, gold traders, precious metal buyers and pawnshop owners to report any similarly unusually cut gold bars via the 158 emergency line.

Police are also seeking drivers who were on Sudoměřská Street in Prague 3 around 8 p.m. on Wednesday, September 2 — dashcam footage from their vehicles may have captured the suspect or the moment the bag was handed over.

The case is being investigated as fraud, which carries a sentence of up to ten years in prison if the perpetrators are caught and convicted. Police are once again urging residents to warn their elderly relatives about such scams: whenever someone pressures you to hand over money or valuables, always verify the information first.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz