Police: Scam targeting elderly city residents
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, July 6, 2004
Staff Report
Suffolk Police are investigating residential break-ins targeting two elderly residents.
On July 3, 2004 at approximately 4:30 pm, an elderly male in the 500 block of N. Cherry Grove Rd. near the Isle of Wright line, was approached by a white male with gray hair, stating that he worked for the power company.
The victim was told that he overpaid his power bill and was owed $20. The suspect then lured the man outside of the residence, and occupied him for some time through conversation.
Each time the victim attempted to re-enter the residence, the suspect would step in front of him.
After the victim finally demanded to be allowed to go inside, the suspect left. But when the resident entered his home, he found that someone had been inside and searched his dresser.
In other incident on July 4, an elderly female in the 100 block of Moores Farm Lane reported that around 3:30 pm, a white male had approached her and claimed to be survey property adjacent to hers. He convinced her to leave her house and walk to the mailbox, as he continued to talk to her. It wasn’t until the next day that the woman realized some of her property had been removed from her closet in the home.
Both victims described the suspect that they spoke with as a white male, 50-60 years of age, said the vehicle was a large white pickup truck, possibly a 4 door or extended cab. One of the residents also noted that the suspect spoke in a foreign language to someone on the cell phone while there. Neither victim saw any other suspects.