A special bulletin from the Arcadia Police Department and Police Chief Sanderson:
The community of Arcadia has been experiencing distraction type burglaries over the past several weeks. The suspects in these incidents are commonly referred to by the victims as “Gypsy” type individuals. The method of distraction involves the suspects portraying themselves as officials with various government agencies or sub-contractors through government agencies. Such vocations represented are: Department of Water & Power employees, construction employees, and tree trimmers.
These crimes occur during daytime hours and focus on elderly victims. Once the suspect gains the victim’s trust and confidence, the suspect is allowed inside. A second suspect then enters the residence and commits the theft. The victim is unaware their valuables have been stolen and ultimately both suspects leave the residence minutes apart.
The Arcadia Police Department is reminding residents to be aware of these crimes of trickery and encourage them to never allow anyone inside of their homes without positively verifying the individual’s identity and employer.
If you encounter an incident such as the one described, please call the Arcadia Police Department at (626) 574-5150. If it is an emergency, please call 911.