Portsmouth residents warned over suspected con artist in the city

RESIDENTS in Portsmouth are being warned to be vigilant about a suspected con artist operating in the city.

On Saturday evening, a teenager girl, claiming to be deaf, was seen visiting a number of homes in Nettlestone Road, Eastney, asking for money.

The girl was holding a printed sign asking people to donate cash to her to pay for her education.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

One of those targeted was Pat Huxstable, 62, and her husband Nigel, 61.

The pair, whose 30-year-old daughter Abbi is profoundly deaf, said they were suspicious of the teenager’s actions.

‘From our experience with our daughter, she needs to see people’s faces,’ said Mrs Huxstable.

‘The one thing many deaf people do is make eye contact with people so they can lip-read if they need to.

‘This girl didn’t do that which made us suspicious.’

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The incident has since been reported to Hampshire Constabulary.

A spokesman for the force said there appeared to be no previous reports of such an incident.

However, he warned residents to always ask cold-callers for identifications and that if they were concerned to ring the police force’s non-emergency number 101 and report the incident.