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Senior citizens targeted by distraction thefts, deputies say

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Orange County deputies say there is an uptick of distraction burglaries in the county. In one case, deputies say a man ripped off an elderly woman.

In the less than two months since 2019 started, there have been nine cases in which one person distracts someone, while another person steals from the distracted person.

“We have noticed that they are specifically targeting the elderly,” said Deputy Christian Marrero. “All of our victims have been over the age of 70.”

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Deputies released a sketch of a man they believe posed as a utilities worker and told a woman in her eighties that he needed to test her water.

As she showed him around her home, deputies say the victim spotted a second man in her house.

Deputies said after the fake worker left, some of her jewelry was gone.

Deputies said they don’t believe it’s the same person – or people – behind all of the burglaries.

The sheriff’s office asks that anyone with information about the burglaries contact them.

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