Cops: 'Despicable scam artists' in Nassau

A band of burglars is targeting elderly homeowners in Nassau, distracting them with friendly small talk while an accomplice tries to loot their house, police said Wednesday.

The burglars have struck at least seven times since Dec. 9 -- in Wantagh, Massapequa Park, Jericho, West Hempstead and Merrick -- and they've been successful in three cases. Stolen valuables have included cash and jewelry, said Det. Lt. Kevin Smith, Nassau's chief police spokesman.

"It's like they're preying on our senior citizens, and we're very concerned about it," Smith said.

During the "deception/distraction" burglaries, police said, one or more people knock and pretend to be gutter repairmen, electric company workers, new neighbors who want to put up a fence or others seeking to distract the homeowners or lure them away from the home's entrance so another person can slip through.

"If they get access to the front door, a second co-conspirator is going to walk in and go to the bedroom, to the area where people are most likely to keep their valuables, and stuff his pockets with whatever he can -- cash, jewelry, any kind of valuables that he can leave with, and then get out of there," Smith said.

The latest cases happened Tuesday, when the burglars hit three homes in Merrick and Massapequa Park, all within a half-hour. Only in the Massapequa Park theft, at 12:10 p.m. at a home on Lindbergh Street, was the scam successful: A homeowner, 81, had jewelry stolen by a man and a woman claiming to be a new neighbor there to do work in the yard.

"They're vile, despicable scam artists, that's what they are," Smith said. "They seem like nice people. They're anything but."

All the victims but one are 80 or older, Smith said. Victims may be embarrassed and not report the theft; they may not even realize they've been victimized, Smith said, or their hearing and eyesight may not be good.

Incidents in the investigation

Seven cases have been reported to Nassau police in recent weeks of persons posing as utility or home repair workers who have engaged in the deception/distraction technique. Here are the times, locations and details of these cases:

Dec. 9, 4 p.m.

Jerusalem Avenue, Wantagh

unsuccessful

Dec. 13, 2 p.m.

Philadelphia Avenue, Massapequa Park

cash and jewelry stolen

Dec. 14, noon.

Parkside Drive, Jericho

unsuccessful

Dec. 23, 1 a.m.

Cherry Valley Avenue, West Hempstead

jewelry and art stolen

Dec. 27, 11:40 a.m.

Yale Road, Merrick

unsuccessful

Dec. 27, 11:50 a.m.

Kirkwood Avenue, Merrick

unsuccessful

Dec. 27, 12:10 p.m.

Lindbergh Street, Massapequa Park

jewelry stolen

SOURCE: Nassau Police