Sacramento County sheriff's investigators would like to talk to anyone who was the victim of suspects arrested in a scam targeting seniors.
On Jan. 20, sheriff's deputies responded to a call regarding the robbery and kidnapping of a 70-year-old woman. While shopping at a wholesale warehouse in south Sacramento County, the victim was approached by two women in the parking lot. The women showed the victim a package of money that they claimed to have found, according to a Sheriff's Department news release.
The women persuaded the victim to accompany them to a bank where the money was supposedly authenticated by one of the suspects' family members, reportedly a bank employee. The suspects then persuaded the victim to pay them several thousand dollars in return for sharing a portion of the found money. The suspects drove the victim to various banks to withdraw the money to pay them.
When the victim realized she had fallen prey to a scam, she demanded her money back. The suspects refused and violently assaulted the woman while driving her in their vehicle, sheriff's officials said.
The suspects were later arrested after witnesses saw the victim being assaulted and notified law enforcement.
One of the suspects in custody is described as white, 50 years old, 5 feet, 7 inches tall, weighing 250 pounds with blond hair, blue eyes and a pale complexion. The other is described as white, 45 years old, 5 feet, 9 inches tall, weighing 190 pounds, with blond hair, blue eyes and a pale complexion.
Detectives believe the suspects may have committed other crimes using a similar approach between November 2011 and January of this year at area Costco, Big Lots or other retail stores. Officials said the women may have worn wigs in other incidents.
Anyone who was a victim of a similar incident or has information regarding the activity is asked to call the Sheriff's Sexual/Elder Abuse Bureau at (916) 874-5070.
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