Two detectives investigating a serious sexual assault were mistaken for imposters posing as plain clothes police.
A post on social media on Wednesday morning said an elderly relative in Castlefields, Runcorn, had received a visit from a man and a woman “posing as plain clothes police”. The social media user said the man and woman asked if the home CCTV was working and to check the householder’s broadband.
She said Cheshire Police had “confirmed no officers had been sent” and “no other houses were asked”. Supportive residents shared their concerns, with one person commenting: “I hope her CCTV is working so she can give it to the police and have these two caught as well.”
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Other comments included “please be careful”, “what a bloody cheek” and one reply said: “Some people are wrong uns.”.
Cheshire Constabulary has since confirmed to the ECHO that the two callers were real detectives, and that following the visit, the force had been called to investigate “suspicious activity” over the unknown callers.
A force spokesman said the detectives were in the area investigating a serious sexual assault.
The spokesman said: “At around 10.15pm on Tuesday, July 19, police were called to reports of suspicious activity at an address on Centurion Row, Runcorn.
“The caller, an elderly woman, reported that two people, claiming to be police officers had visited the address and were asking for information in relation to a sexual assault in the area.
“It has since been confirmed that the people who attended were indeed detectives who are working on the case.
“The woman has been updated.”
The investigation relates to a serious sexual assault in which a 36-year-old woman was attacked on a path near a factory on Astmoor Industrial Estate at around 4am on Saturday.
Anyone with any information, CCTV or dashcam footage that might assist the investigation, in particular from the vicinity of Brindley Road and Castlefields Avenue North near the Bridgewater Canal and Daresbury Expressway between 3.20am and 4am, is urged to call Cheshire Constabulary on 101, quoting IML 1318373.
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