Three ladies hug and kiss pensioner in avenue however one thing extra sinister is occurring
A 97-year-old woman was targeted on Dale Street in Manchester city centre, by three women who surrounded her and gave her hugs and kisses as CCTV shows her putting her hands up for them to stop
This is the moment three women surround a 97-year-old woman and shower her with hugs and kisses as unsuspecting people walk-by. But what was really happening was much more sinister.
The vulnerable victim, who relies on a walking aid, was targeted as she waited for her husband to collect her on Dale Street in Manchester city centre on 10 January this year. She was accosted by notorious thieves Geta Schian, 33, and Sefora Mazarache, 27, who began to hold her hand, embrace her and kiss her.
However, it was all a ploy to distract her as they swiped an antique jade bracelet from her hand. They were caught on clear CCTV footage which formed part of the damning case against them.
This followed a series of thefts and attempted thefts involving the women, and a third defendant, 35-year-old Geneza Dumitru, one of which occurred less than two hours prior, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Police stated that they “worked together to distract, charm and steal from lone women in the community.”
At around 1.50pm, an hour and 50 minutes before Mazarache and Schian targeted the 97-year-old, the three women approached a woman standing on Oxford Road who was waiting for her daughter. Two of them engaged her in conversation while the other kept a close watch nearby.
One of the would-be robbers embraced her as they tried to remove the ring from her finger. She cried out for help and the women fled the scene.
During one incident on Meldon Road in Rusholme on 9 October last year, Mazarache approached a mother walking her son to nursery and began complimenting her and her child.
Simultaneously, she was tugging at the woman’s ring finger, causing her to withdraw her hand. She also attempted to snatch the woman’s mobile phone as the intended victim cried out for assistance.
On another occasion on November27 last year, Mazarache and Schian approached a woman walking home along Oxford Road. They began to grab and hug her, before asking her for food and money.
They then led the woman under an archway, where one of them yanked a gold bracelet from her wrist, before they fled in different directions.
The trio were arrested on January 14 this year and appeared for sentencing at Manchester Crown Court on Monday (July 6).
Geta Schian, of Calbourne Avenue, east London, received a 28-month prison sentence for attempted theft from the person of another.
Sefora Mazarache, of Jessop Street, Manchester, was handed a 38-month prison term for attempted robbery.
Geneza Dumitru, of Dukinfield Road, Manchester, was sentenced to 28 months in prison for robbery.
PC David Dombai, from GMP’S Neighbourhood Crime Team based at Longsight Police station, stated: “We take reports like these very seriously. Our local police teams are committed to tackling crime and keeping the people of our communities safe.
“We hope this sentence sends a message that robbery will not be tolerated. We will pursue offenders and bring them to justice. If you see anything like this, please do report it to the police and we will pursue it with the greatest importance.”
