We’ve received two reader reports about similar incidents. First one was sent today by Nancy:
Last Thursday a senior friend of mine and her husband were walking up Alaska from Avalon to Whole Foods at 10:30 am.
At 37th and Alaska a passing van asked for directions and then started a conversation meant to engage them on a personal level including a hug from the car window during which they then cut or somehow removed a gold chain and gold bracelet from the senior gentleman.
A police report was filed. Redmond Police posted an alert about this last year. Essentially people in rental SUV’s are approaching older individuals and asking for directions and/or offering to sell or trade jewelry, and robbing the individual after contact is made.
The other one was reported in mid-May in White Center – Jennifer said her parents, 73-year-old mom and 81-year-old dad, were approached while getting into their car outside McLendon Hardware:
… Male/female offered gifts, jewelry and were making physical contact (holding dad’s hand & kissing it) but I believe they were trying to distract both of my parents in an attempt to rob them. The female was standing outside of the driver’s side window where my dad was and the male was standing outside my mom’s window telling her to roll it down. Each person intentionally dropped a piece of jewelry inside of the car in hopes mom/dad would retrieve it and open their doors to hand it back, but luckily mom sensed that something was wrong. She started shouting that she was going to call 911 and the male/female then left in a hurry. … Male and female were driving a small Chevy sedan similar to (this picture).
We asked for descriptions:
Male:
About 5’ 10” tall
Slim build
Short black wavy hair
Dark brown complexion
Was wearing a cream short sleeve floral shirt.Female
About 5’ 5”
Slender figure
Couldn’t make out hair color because it was wrapped up in a bandana/scarf
Light brown complexion
Wearing a long skirt
We don’t have police-report numbers in either case (the first would be SPD, the second would be KCSO), but the primary goal of both readers was to suggest warning vulnerable relatives/friends.
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