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Community Corner

Senior Citizens' Home Burglarized by Impostors

Several "distraction-type" burglaries have occurred within the last year authorities said.

Two men used a ploy to steal from an elderly woman's home in Sierra Madre Thursday afternoon.

Sierra Madre Police Sergeant Joe Ortiz said the men posed as utility workers and committed the "distraction-type burglary" on the 300 block of E. Highland Ave.

According to Ortiz, the burglars knocked on the victim's door and said they needed to check her water line. One suspect kept the victim, who is in her 70s, distracted in her backyard while the other burglarized the home.

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"Over the last year, we've had three or four of these types of crimes occurr," Ortiz said. "Same demographics, same victims and same locations."

Police said both suspects were described as heavy-set Latino men, one who appeared to be approximately 20 years old and the other around 50.

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Ortiz said citizens can avoid this type of deceptive crime by taking the following precautions: Verify the identity of a company by calling the number listed in a local directory; Do not call a number provided by someone appearing on your door step to verify the company, because it can be a false number; Be suspicious of unscheduled visits; Don't keep large quanitities of cash in your home; Keep valuables in a safe.

Anyone with information related to this crime is urged to call Sierra Madre Police at 626-355-1414

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