Los Alamitos Police Department is investigating two recent daytime residential burglaries where the suspects targeted elderly homeowners using a ruse to gain access to their homes.
Los Alamitos Police Department is investigating two recent daytime residential burglaries where the suspects targeted elderly homeowners using a ruse to gain access to their homes.
Crimes of this nature are referred to as distraction burglaries, because the suspects, working in teams, draw the resident’s attention to a perceived problem in their back yard or an area of the home out of view from the dwelling’s interior. While one suspect keeps the homeowner occupied or distracted, another suspect enters the home and quickly looks for items to steal. The suspects are in the house for no more than 10 minutes, and losses will usually include small concealable items such as jewelry, cash, identity documents or small electronic devices.
The suspect who contacts the resident or victim presents as someone who is there for official business. The suspect will sometimes wear clothing suggesting they are associated with a utility company, pest exterminator, or government employee. Others have passed themselves off as concerned neighbors searching for their lost pet. Victims are convinced of a problem and agree to meet the suspect in their back yard where they cannot watch their house or see another person enter the residence. While the victim is distracted, a second suspect ransacks the home looking for easily concealable items.
The elderly population is often targeted because they may to be more trusting of people and easier to deceive. Once the victims realize what has happened, the suspects have left the area with items stolen from their home.
Residents should be wary of these distraction attempts. Never allow someone in your home you do not know. If the person is soliciting work or claims to be associated with a particular company or government agency and they tell you they are there to complete a job, ask for their identification or a phone number so you can call to verify their story. Talk to your family members or friends and warn them of this activity. In all cases, if you suspect something is wrong, don’t hesitate to contact the police at 562-594-7242 and an officer will respond to help.
