Cops: New elderly victim a scam target

Another elderly Nassau resident came forward Thursday to report that she was victimized this week by burglars that police called "vile, despicable scam artists."

A 91-year-old Bellmore woman was lured outside of her home Monday by a woman, Nassau police said, allowing an accomplice to enter the house and take currency, credit cards and jewelry.

The burglars are believed to be a part of the same team that has targeted at least eight elderly homeowners in the county since Dec. 9, police said. They have also struck in Wantagh, Massapequa Park, Jericho, West Hempstead and Merrick.

The Bellmore victim told authorities that she responded to a knock on the door of her Maple Avenue home about 1 p.m., and was greeted by a woman in her 20s, police said. The victim accompanied the woman out to the yard for about 10 minutes, discussing possible yard work with the woman, police said. During that time, another person burglarized her home.

In the other burglaries a similar method was used -- a person at the door pretended to be a gutter repairman, electrical company worker or new homeowner, who lured the resident outside and away from the house, allowing someone else to go inside unnoticed, police said.

Det. Let. Kevin Smith, Nassau's chief police spokesman, said in a recent interview that all the victims but one were at least 80 years old. Some victims may be embarrassed and not report the theft immediately, or may not realize for some time that there was a burglary, Smith said.

"They're vile, despicable scam artists. That's what they are," Smith had said of the burglars. "They seem like nice people. They're anything but."