Distraction Burglary Advisory
On Friday,
September 30, 2016, 10:00 a.m., a female suspect posing as a CITY
OF TORRANCE employee knocked on the victims’ front door in the
2300 block of 179th Street
and asked the female resident to accompany her to the rear yard for the purpose
of installing a
light pole. The suspect went through the side gate while the homeowner went
through the
house to the backyard. The suspect asked about the wiring under the house and
if anyone else
was in the house that knew about it. The female resident summoned her husband
from inside
the residence to the rear yard where the suspect continued to ask questions
about installing a
light pole. The suspect frequently communicated to another via radio,
explaining to the victims
that she gets paid by the hour and has to keep her boss updated.
After approximately thirty minutes in the backyard, the suspect advised she
would be back in
forty minutes with a pamphlet regarding the light poles and hurriedly departed.
The victims then
discovered the wife’s jewelry boxes in the bedroom had been emptied.
The suspect attempted the same ruse at 10:55 a.m. in the 3200 block of 178th Street.
The suspect was described as a white female, approximately 30 years of age,
5'03" to 5'04" in
height, medium to muscular build, with dark black hair, dark eyes, wearing a
white top and black
pants – a white or Hispanic male remained by the suspect vehicle and appeared
to be
communicating with someone via radio.
The suspect vehicle was described as a dark metallic grey 2010 small sedan with
the trunk fully
opened, concealing the rear license plate and no front plate.
DISTRACTION RUSES: Crews of suspects work in concert to distract older
homeowners
and target valuables and documents within residences. Suspects use home repair
scams,
including driveway sealing/ paving, roof sealing/ repair and house painting
wherein the work is
very shoddy, incomplete or even nonexistent and will also pose as utility
company employees
(Gas, Water, City of Torrance) and tree trimmers to lure the victims outdoors
so the crime
partners can enter the residences and steal valuables. The suspects will
concentrate on a
relatively small area for several weeks before moving on to another
neighborhood or city to
commit their crime. Torrance has experienced a number of these cycles for
years, particularly
in the North End.
Click the following link to view bulletin:
http://www.torranceca.gov/TPD/Documents/16-130_DISTRACTION_BURG_ADVISORY(1).pdf
If you have any information regarding this bulletin please contact the Torrance Police Department at 310-328-3456.
“See Something, Say Something”
Emergency 9-1-1
Non-Emergency: 310-328-3456
Provided By:
Torrance Police Department –
Community Affairs Division
310-618-6391 or 310-618-6392
www.Police.TorranceCA.Gov
www.YouTube.com/TPDCommAffairs
www.Facebook.com/TorrancePD
www.Twitter.com/TorrancePD
Address/Location
Torrance Police Department
3300 Civic Center Dr
Torrance, CA 90503
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 310-328-3456