Elderly Woman Robbed By Pair Posing As Utility Workers
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The NYPD is issuing a warning about fake utility workers.
The hunt is on for robbers who talked their way into an elderly woman's Brooklyn home on Thursday and made off with $2,500, CBS2's Dave Carlin reported Sunday.
Right now, Manhattan Beach is community on edge. Surveillance video captured images of the men who allegedly scammed and robbed an 88-year-old woman.
"That's scary," Sheepshead bay resident Dora Pekar told CBS2's Carlin.
"(It) is a big problem, is no good," another person said.
The incident happened at around 4 p.m. on Thursday, police said. One of the suspects wore a flimsy yellow construction vest as part of the con.
The pair pretended to be utility workers and convinced the elderly woman, who lives alone, to let them into her house on Falmouth Street near Oriental Boulevard.
Resident Simona Herman knows the victim and told CBS2 although the men did not hurt the woman, they stole cash from her.
"She's OK. Everything will be OK," Herman said.
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The victim told other neighbors the men saw that she had an envelope stuffed with the money, and they took it.
Police said they are also searching for a suspect whose role was to be a lookout and getaway driver. All three of the men left in a dark-colored pickup truck.
"There has to be something done about people trying to rob others, or come to the block. There must be more safety and security on the block," Herman said.
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Police are reminding residents to never open the door to strangers and if visitors appear to be on official business, like with the utility, call to check that they are in fact dispatched to the address.
The first suspect is described as white man in his 20s or 30s, last seen wearing a construction vest and blue jeans. The second suspect police are after is a white man in his 30s or 40s, last seen wearing a tan jacket and dark pants.
Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74682). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.
