(June 22, 2006) -- LBPD is warning resients to be on alert in the wake of a string of thefts in which several ELB residents were victimized by suspects using a ruse/scam.

LBPD reports at least four incidents in which elderly victims, all in their 80’s, have had belongings stolen from within their residences while they were being distracted by the suspect(s). Whether or not these incidents are connected is part of an on-going investigation, LBPD says.

Here's a summary of each incident and suspect descriptions via LBPD:

• May 11, 2006, 2500 block Vuelta Grande: Three suspects involved. At about 3:00 p.m., Suspect 1 (male Hispanic, 15-18 yrs. old, black hair, brown eyes, 5'6", 135 lbs) and Suspect 2 (female Hispanic, 13-15 yrs old, black hair, brown eyes, 5'3", 110 lbs.) knocked on the victim's door and walked into the residence, claiming they used to live down the street. Suspect 1 asked to use the bathroom while Suspect 2 sat in the family room. When Suspect 1 returned from the bathroom after 10-15 minutes, they told the victim they were going to the store and left. The victim later realized that jewelry was missing from the home. The victim’s husband who was working in the front yard was distracted by Suspect 3 (male Hispanic, 35-45 yrs. old, black hair, 5’10" tall, 150 lbs.)

• May 31, 2006, 600 block Temple Ave. Three suspects involved. At about 5:30 p.m., Suspect 1 (female Hispanic, 25-30 years, 5’6" tall, 100 lbs) knocked on the victim’s door claiming that her child was crying because their cat had gone into the victim’s backyard. The victim refused the suspect’s request to let her into the backyard, but went to the backyard to retrieve the cat only to find that the suspect had let herself into the backyard through the side gate. The suspect then left the yard and got into a vehicle that was occupied by Suspect 2 (male Hispanic, 25-30 yrs., 5'5", 140 lbs) and Suspect 3 (male Hispanic). A neighbor who had arrived home witnessed Suspect 2 walking away from the victim’s home with a purse and getting into the suspect vehicle before the vehicle fled. The victim then discovered that her purse was missing from her home.

• June 10, 2006, 7800 block Tarma Street Three suspects involved. At about 3:00 p.m., Suspect 1 (female Hispanic, 25-30 years) asked the victim if she could come into the victim’s home to retrieve her cat from the backyard. The victim escorted Suspect 1 to the backyard while Suspect 2 (male Hispanic, 25-30 yrs) and Suspect 3 (male Hispanic, 25-30 yrs) waited inside the victim’s home. A cat wasn’t found and the three suspects left. Shortly thereafter, the victim realized that her purse was missing from her living room.

• June 12, 2006, 2200 block Roswell Ave.: Two suspects involved. At about 3:00 p.m., Suspect 1 (female Hispanic, 30 yrs., black hair, brown eyes, 5'8", 160 lbs), accompanied by a small child knocked on the front door of the victim's residence. The suspect said she was a friend of the victim’s neighbor and needed to check her backyard because her neighbor was going to be sandblasting her home and she wanted to make sure her yard would be protected. The victim escorted Suspect 1 to the backyard through the back door while Suspect 2 (male Hispanic, 26 yrs., brown hair and eyes, 5'6", 140 lbs) waited in the front yard. Later that day, the victim discovered jewelry missing from her front bedroom and the dresser drawers ransacked.

LBPD says, "All residents should be reminded never to let people they don’t know into their homes under any circumstances, unless they can verify their legitimacy. If residents observe any suspicious persons or activity, they should call police immediately. Now that summer has arrived, residents are encouraged to keep their windows/doors locked at all times, and to invest in window/door securing devices that allow for proper ventilation.

Anyone with information about possible suspects or additional victims of a similar crime who hasn't reported it to police, should contact LBPD's Burglary Detail at (562) 570-7351.