Fake water agent and police officers trick man out of over 110,000 euros in Val-de-Marne

A sophisticated scam in Villejuif, France, has resulted in a victim losing over 110,000 euros worth of collectible coins. The elaborate deception involved individuals posing as an agent from the water company and two fake police officers.

The incident occurred on Thursday, August 13, when a man claiming to be a water company agent arrived at the victim's home, citing a water supply cut as a pretext to gain entry. Once inside, the imposter stole several items. Shortly after, two individuals posing as police officers arrived, claiming to be apprehending the initial thief, who was in fact their accomplice.

Under the guise of a judicial seizure, the fake officers convinced the homeowner to hand over the key to a safe. This safe contained 2,000 collectible coins, including 160 Napoleon-era pieces. The trio then fled with their substantial loot.

This type of "theft by false pretenses" is not new to the Val-de-Marne region. In a similar case on January 9, an octogenarian in Nogent-sur-Marne was targeted, losing jewelry valued at an estimated 400,000 euros. Just days prior to that, another scam involving a fake plumber and a fake police officer in Paris defrauded an elderly woman of over 200,000 euros.