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Berlin (AP) - Several men have been charged in Berlin for allegedly posing as police officers in order to cheat pensioners.
One case involves luxury watches that are worth more than two million euros.
Members of a fraud gang are said to have warned an 84-year-old man on the phone as a false police officer of thieves, as the public prosecutor announced on Friday.
The old man called back on the emergency number 110, but the call ended up with the fraud gang via manipulated technology.
The pensioner was persuaded to leave valuables for security by the police in front of the house.
The now accused 20-year-old is said to have picked up a bag with 17 high-quality watches with a total value of 2.3 million euros.
The alleged perpetrator escaped in a taxi.
The police tracked him down by evaluating cell data and investigating taxi companies.
Three other men, aged 24, 27 and 43, are charged with gang theft, forgery and presumption of office.
In 2018, they are said to have gained access to the homes of old people with a forged police ID and in one case stole gold jewelry worth 500 euros.
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© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210305-99-706846 / 2