HOLLYWOOD, FLA. (WSVN) - At least one South Florida resident was duped at the door by a crook going around claiming he’s doing work for the city, police said.
The elderly woman was robbed in Hollywood by a man pretending to be a city worker.
“Yesterday, at around 4 in the afternoon, officers received a 911 call of a possible theft that occurred on the 1200 block of Van Burean Street. She informed us that the suspect, a white male in his mid 30s, dressed with a gray shirt and khaki pants, approached her, knocked on the rear door of her residence,” said Hollywood Police spokesperson Christian Lata.
According to police, a municipal worker will never go to your back door. They will only approach your home through the front door. The crook then proceeded to talk his way inside the house.
“Stated that he was a City of Hollywood employee, stated that due to the immense rains that we just had, he had to flush the lines of her plumbing so that they wouldn’t get backed up and cause flooding in the area,” said Lata.
Police said distraction was next on his list.
“He informed her to run the water for 10 seconds and turn off the water for 10 seconds and to continue doing that,” said Lata.
While she did so, he robbed her of her jewelry and other personal items worth tens of thousands of dollars.
“If someone comes to your house, they are saying that they are a municipal employee, ask for their identification,” said Lata. “Ask to speak to their supervisor, and if you feel uncomfortable, which you should, don’t allow them in your house and just close the door and call the police.”
Police are hoping that someone captured some surveillance footage, possibly the suspect driving in the area in his car. If you did, they’re asking you turn it over to Hollywood Police.
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