APOPKA, Fla. — Police were searching for two men posing as Apopka city employees Wednesday after investigators say one distracted an 80-year-old woman while the other snatched valuables from her home.
According to the Apopka Police Department, the men knocked on the victim’s door Tuesday afternoon and while one lured her outside to look at her trees, the other grabbed a gold Rolex watch and 20 silver charms.
The woman’s grandson was shocked that someone could callously rob an 80-year-old woman.
“It’s frustrating,” Lee Faircloth said. “It’s angering to know that somebody would take advantage of her, (or) any person her age.”
Police said this is the first report they’ve received about thieves posing as city employees.
The scam is not new, though, department spokeswoman Sgt. Cynthia Hall said.
“If somebody answers the door, they create some kind of scheme or some kind of ploy to get them out (of the home),” she said.
Hall said anyone finding themselves in the same type of situation should ask for IDs and look for official logos on the individuals’ clothes and/or vehicle.
Faircloth’s grandmother may have been a victim of thieves, but he said the incident hasn’t dampened her spirit.
“She’s 80 years old,” he said. “She lives by herself. She’s a strong person, independent and feisty.”