The woman was robbed at Luthern Services’ Immanuel Gardens’ Retirement Village on the Sunshine Coast after opening the door to what appeared to be a distraught mother making a desperate call for help.

The thief initially approached the residents’ door with a small child, only to return later to claim that the child was missing, enter the woman’s home and steal her purse.

Police have since arrested a 42-year-old Sunshine Coast woman, who they say has attempted to steal from older residents before – having coerced a 91-year-old woman into her car at a Maroochydore retirement village before driving her to an ATM to withdraw money.

Both robbery victims were physically unharmed from the events.

The 42-year-old will appear in court on June 29 charged with robbery, fraud, stealing, failing to provide necessities of life and possessing dangerous drugs.