View from the cop: Crime & punishment
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AJC.com > Metro > View from the cop > Archives > 2007 > March > 30
Friday, March 30, 2007
Protecting seniors targeted by thieves
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Seniors seem to be getting picked on again. Thefts from purses and in parking lots have increased a bit.
The easiest victims to pick on are the residents of senior communities and senior-assisted communities that utilize buses to make the weekly trip to the grocery store. Shopping day puts two or three of these communities in the store at once and it seems to attract some of the thieves looking to pluck wallets from pursed. Senior-day is attracting more thieves than in the past.
The most common scam is a tag-team approach where one suspect approaches the victim in the aisle while she pushes her cart. Suspect No. 1 asks the victim if she could help him or her read a box or can label. Sometimes they tell the victim their English is not good. While the Good Samaritan helps, Suspect No. 2 comes around from behind the victim, reaches into the purse and takes the victim’s wallet.
Many times the victim is unaware of the theft until she gets to the checkout line. The thieves are gone, headed straight to a retail store to use the stolen credit cards. Many times they’ll stop to gas up their car and grab some food on the way to a retail store. Favorite sites are electronic stores and other large retail locations close by. They’re on a short clock since the victim only has to call the card-issuer’s customer service line to cancel the card.
Why do they pick on seniors? They’re good set-up victims. They’ll help you if you need help. They’re not as skeptical at first and they tend to focus on what they’re doing and not so much looking around like us paranoid types. On grocery day, there will be 15 to 25 seniors in the store at once. It’s a social event as well so they’re not thinking about security or identity theft.
What to do?
First of all, most thieves want the credit cards to make big purchases. They need to gain access and stealing from the victim’s purse is the easiest way for them to get the card and get away.
Leave the purse at home if possible.
Put cash, credit/debit cards, and/or checks in a front pants pocket, not in coat pockets or back pockets.
If you take a purse into the store, strap it to the cart and zip it closed. If possible, take the wallet and / or cards out and refer to #2 above.
Don’t walk away, even a few feet, from a shopping cart with a purse in it.
Don’t get distracted and stay close to that purse when others are around your shopping cart.
IN THE PARKING LOT
While many seniors shop in groups and use buses to get in and out, some go to the store in cars.
Lots of thieves prefer the great outdoors. The most common outside approach happens while the victim is putting her groceries in the car. While she leans away from her cart to put the items in the car, a car drives up and the passenger gets out, grabs the purse, and the car speeds away, all in a couple of seconds.
What to Do?
When shopping, park the car as close to the store as possible. When leaving the store and pushing the cart to your car, go ahead and get the purse out of the cart and in your hands. That alone may be sufficient to discourage the would-be thief from selecting you on that day. They aren’t looking for a fight but rather a quick snatch-and-grab. Better yet, even if you take a purse into the store, keep the goods in your pocket as described above.
Look around for cars idling and persons who appear to be loitering. Locate them while you’re still near the store. You can always turn around and go back in or ask one of the store employees to escort you out.
Open the car door and put your purse in first and then your groceries.
If you live in a senior community with community shopping days or have a relative in one, tell residents to check with one another to make sure they have their wallets intact. If they see anyone who appears to be loitering in the store, let the store manager or employee know about it.
Just know these things do happen and make a couple of small adjustments to your normal habits and you’ll be fine.
If your wallet/purse is stolen, cancel the cards immediately. A good idea is to write down the customer service number for each of your credit cards and have that information handy in case you need to make a call. Don’t wait. Don’t go home if you can make the call where you’re at. Timing is very critical so make the call as soon as you realize those cards are lost or stolen.
The second call should be to the police. If the cards are stolen, you’ll need the documentation of a police report to counter the subsequent purchases that could be made on your credit card.
