A serial fraudster from Moray is believed to be on the run after allegedly defrauding people out of thousands of pounds.
Police are trying to track down Pauline Flett, who is allegedly responsible for a string of scams across Scotland and Lancashire.
The 34-year-old from Buckie was previously named one of the country’s most wanted women, and had been accused of thefts across the Highlands, Glasgow and Edinburgh dating as far back as 2006.
At one point, the charity Crimestoppers offered a £2,000 reward for information on her whereabouts, because she was proving difficult to track down by continuously changing her appearance, moving address and using a variety of alter-egos to evade detection.
Flett previously appeared in the dock at Livingston Sheriff Court in 2016 where she was ordered to pay compensation after embezzling more than £1,100 from a Shell petrol station.
She has also been accused of cheating tourists out of money at the Scotia Airport Hotel in Paisley.
It is believed that, after using the fake name Pauline Reid to secure a job there, she funnelled customers’ money into her own bank account.
But management became suspicious when they noticed their takings had fallen since employing Flett, and that irate customers were arriving at reception with no records of them having booked a room.
They reported her to the police after she reportedly walked out of the job in the middle of the night.
Officers subsequently confirmed they were following a “positive line of inquiry” as part of their investigation.
But now, following reports of frauds in the Lancashire area of England – which covers Blackpool, Blackburn and Morecambe – officers have issued a fresh appeal to find Flett.
Police have also issued a new mugshot and updated information about her appearance.
In a statement, they said Flett “uses a number of different aliases” and described her as white, 5ft 6ins with blue eyes.
They added she has pierced ears and a tattoo on her left arm of a bat on a heart, but have speculated the piece might have been added to and may now cover the entire limb.
A spokeswoman said: “Anyone who knows of her whereabouts, or who may have information that will assist officers in tracing her, is asked to contact 101.”