SIBU: A man was arrested here Thursday for allegedly cheating an elderly woman of RM120,000 on the pretext of helping her to apply for welfare aid.
Police stormed into his house in Sarikei at 9pm and arrested him.
The 42-year-old man, believe to be from part of a syndicate, has been taken to Sibu to be remanded.
He had also been arrested in Miri and Kuching for cheating cases.
Police believe the syndicate is active in Sarawak.
On Sept 12, a 78-year-old hawker was approached by the man and one other in the polyclinic at Oya Road here.
One of them convinced her that he could help apply for welfare assistance on condition that she withdrew her savings.
They took her home to get her fixed deposit receipts.
She later entered the bank alone to withdraw the money.
A bank teller became suspicious and asked her if she was cheated.
The elderly woman told the teller she needed the money urgently but she was told to bring along a family member for verification.
To convince the teller into believing her, she brought in one of the men (conmen), telling the teller that the man was her son-in-law.
After the woman gave the money to the men, they disappeared.
That night, she narrated the incident to her son who brought her to lodge a police report.