Robinson couple targeted
A Robinson Township couple had more than $5,000 and jewelry stolen by two men claiming to work for the water company who said they needed to come into the couple’s home to check lines for contamination.
The 84-year-old woman and her 87-year-old husband told McDonald police the two men came to their home in the 100 block of Robinson Highway about 4:30 p.m. Thursday.
“They just talked their way into their house,” said Sgt. Dennis Ahlborn.
The two men told the couple they had to check the water inside the house. The husband remained downstairs with one of the men while the wife went to the second floor with the other suspect. The man who remained downstairs acted as if he was checking the pipes while making conversation with the husband.
The wife told police the man with her was talking on a cellphone in a foreign language the entire time as he checked the faucet in the kitchen and knocked on the walls, purportedly checking for pipes.
He had her go into the bathroom and turn the water on and off in the sink and shower. He also told her that he could not touch anything and had her flush the toilet several times so he could listen for the water pressure.
She told police that he kept closing the door, leaving her in the bathroom, which she thought was odd. After several minutes, she came out to see what was going on and the man was gone. She checked the upstairs, and then her husband told her the men had left.
She started checking and saw that an envelope containing $4,800 was missing. Containers on her dresser were open, and drawers had been gone through. She went into another bedroom and discovered a glass jewelry box that contained all her diamond, gold and platinum rings was gone. She also noticed that $300 had been stolen from her wallet.
Police said the wife was very emotional when they arrived at the residence.
The couple told police the men arrived in newer model Toyota. Both men had dark hair, and one had a thin beard and mustache.
Police checked with neighbors to see if they saw anything suspicious. One told police that his father-in-law had been sitting in his driveway waiting for the school bus when he saw a newer, silver or gray minivan with two men inside drive up and down the road several times.
Ahlborn warned against letting anyone into your home, even if they appear to have badges indicating they are employed by a utility company.
“Don’t let anyone into your home unless you have received prior contact from the utility indicating they were coming,” Ahlborn said.
The sergeant said similar incidents were reported in McKees Rocks and Pittsburgh. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 724-926-2105.