The San Mateo Police Department is warning residents of a recent burglary in which an elderly resident was targeted.
On Sunday at about 10:30 a.m., a suspect contacted an 81-year-old woman in the 2600 block of Hacienda Street, San Mateo Police Sgt. Dave Norris said.
The man asked to check the woman's water lines to look for contamination, and the victim allowed the man to examine the faucets in her house.
The woman, however, later discovered jewelry was missing from her bedroom, Norris said.
The suspect is Hispanic, clean shaven and about 50 years old with short hair.
Police say this recent burglary follows a criminal trend that targets the elderly.
"This is very typical of a common two-suspect 'distraction burglary' technique - one of the suspects makes contact with one of the residents either at the front door, or in the back yard," Norris said in a statement.
The contact suspect distracts the victim through conversation or through a demonstration of their “services,” Norris said. During this time, a second suspect enters other areas of the victim’s home and searches for and takes valuables.
Anyone with information about the crime is asked to contact the San Mateo Police Department:
SMPD Investigations - 650-522-7650
Secret Witness Line - 650-522-7676
Text Anonymously - 650-262-3473
If you are the victim of a similar scam, or have received a call that you believe might be one of these scams, you may report these crimes to the San Mateo Police Department at 650-522-7700.
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