New York Estate Planning & Elder Law Blog
WHEC-TV in Rochester recently posted on two arrests involving theft of jewelry from a local woman. According to the report, a a door-to-door vacuum saleswoman went to an elderly woman’s home and asked to use the restroom. While inside, the saleswoman apparently stole several pieces of jewelry, which she then sold to a local pawn shop. This sort of quick, unexpected crime affects many local seniors, and often the crime is never reported.
The article does not explain how the particular crime in this case was uncovered, but it wasn’t long before the local sheriff’s office was on the case. They soon tracked down the vacuum saleswoman. While investigating the matter they also learned that the woman’s boss tried to cover-up the theft. Upon learning of the situation, the boss apparently tried to buy back the jewelry. He then contacted the 84-year old woman and tried to convince her to end the investigation. He told the elderly woman that she should just claim that she had only misplaced the jewelry but had found them again. A letter was even drafted by the senior to that end.
Fortunately, this bungled attempt at a cover-up did not work. Sheriff’s investigators were onto the scheme and eventually arrested both the saleswoman and her employer. It remains unclear if the boss knew of past thefts or was involved in the matter in any way beyond the cover-up.
Local officials are asking others in Rochester, New York or nearby communities to come forward if they suspect any similar issues of stolen property which might be connected to these individuals.
Caution is Always Necessary
This local case is a reminder of the need to be incredibly vigilant about keeping our senior friends and family members safe. That is particularly true when it comes to allowing any outside party access to the senior’s home, as it only takes a moment for property to be taken. That is why various scams are predicated on doing anything to simply get inside a senior’s home while they are alone. This is often in the guise of fake personal property sales or to inspect supposed maintenance or repair problems with the home. It is very hard to prevent these crimes, they often go unrreported by confused or embarrassed seniors. Education is the best defense in these matters, as it is important for residents to be aware of the risks before they allow others into their residence.
Of course, there are also more sophisticated attempts to defruad or steal from seniors. This may include prolonged attempts to obtain the elderly individual’s trust, before gaining access to bank accounts or other financial documents. Fortuantely, sometimes it is actually easier to protect against this sort of intrusion. That is because various financial planning tools can be used which would alert others of irregularities with a senior’s finances. Considering the possible harm from these elder exploitation crimes, it is advisable to seek out help as soon as possible to put legal tools in place to ensure long-term protection.
See Our Related Blog Posts:
Holiday Gatherings: Time to Check for Senior Financial Exploitation