Crime & Safety

Warning from Gwinnett PD - Distraction Burglaries Targeting Elderly

Police in several jurisdictions investigating 11 similar type incidents.

The Gwinnett County Police Department is urging people to be aware of a series of distraction-style burglaries in multiple locations. These particularly target the elderly.

In a press release, GCPD disclosed the agency is currently investigating seven incidents atributed to the series. Combined with other jurisdictions looking into similar instances, 11 are being linked to the series.

Police said in these cases, one of the suspects, usually described as a Hispanic or Slavic male of average height and weight, approaches the victim. In most of these cases the target is an elderly woman, believed to be home alone. Police say the suspect is polite and dressed as he should be to support whatever story he gives.  A common approach has been to claim to be building a fence for a neighbor and ask the victim to point out her property line. He then has a brief conversation on a phone in a foreign languange and while the victim is in the back yard, a second suspect enters the home and, in most instances, steals only jewelry.

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Police say this practice is widespread in Gwinnett and throughout the Metro area. Other ruses include that they are employees of a cable or utility company looking to inspect a deck. In each case, one accompanies the target to the back exterior of the home. They have used several vehicles, including a white pickup truck, a black pickup truck and a white van.
 
Anyone coming into contact with suspects matching this description or using this method of operation should call 911 immediately.  Anyone with information for detectives can call 770-513-5300.


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