More than 45 victims have been identified as part of an ongoing campaign by the police to target offenders who prey on vulnerable people.

The campaign, which was launched almost 12 months ago, has resulted in 17 convictions and eight prison sentences, and includes a woman who was sentenced to more than two years after she preyed on a 98-year-old man, before making him withdraw thousands of pounds worth of cash from his bank account. 

Operation Wolf was launched in Preston, and is being run by Preston Neighbourhood Policing Team.

It aims to highlight the signs to potential victims in what to look for to avoid them becoming a target, whilst bringing offenders to justice.

A spokesperson for the police said: "The neighbourhood team works closely with partners such as Preston City Council, Lancashire County Council Adult Safeguarding teams and local housing associations to tackle the issue of elderly men being exploited by a group of women in Preston, after it was reported that these people were proactively seeking out and persistently befriending older vulnerable men in order to obtain money from them.

"The victims are usually isolated and often have learning difficulties or dementia, making them more vulnerable and susceptible to being groomed.

"However criminal offences can be difficult to prove as evidence needs to be gathered over a long period of time.

"One such case is of Stacey Cummings, 36 of Elizabeth Street Preston, who received a two-year civil injunction until August 17 2022, banning her from entering the area around Molyneux Court and St Paul’s Court, Preston.

"In addition to this she was also found guilty in December 2020 of fraud by false representation having befriended a 98-year-old man from Penwortham, over a succession of months and regularly taken him to cash machines to withdraw £1,500.

"She received a custodial sentence of two years and nine months."

Since Operation Wolf started there have been:

  • 16 x arrests
  • 17 x convictions for theft, fraud, burglary, harassment and assault
  • 1 x 3 year Criminal Behaviour Order
  • 5 x Civil injunctions issued in conjunction with housing association partners
  • 1 x ASBI taken out by Lancashire Constabulary
  • 8 x Prison sentences
  • 2 x Community Protection Warnings
  • 1 x Community Protection Notice

The police say they are committed to helping the most vulnerable members of the community and would ask anyone with any concerns to email opwolf@lancashire.pnn.police.uk or report via the website orlo.uk/w0Vef or call 101 with any information stating Operation Wolf.