Troy police said that on Halloween, a vehicle carrying five people approached an 86-year-old woman in the 1600 block of Jackson Drive, ClickOnDetroit reported.
The distraction
Police said one passenger grabbed and kissed the woman while another person handled a pile of jewelry, according to CBS Detroit.
Real gold swapped for imitation pieces
After the vehicle left, the woman discovered that her gold necklace and bracelet were missing and had been replaced with imitation pieces. Police placed the value of the missing gold jewelry at about $20,000, FOX 2 Detroit reported. The case remained under investigation in the cited reports.
How to protect older relatives
Distraction thefts rely on close physical contact and a moment of confusion. Families can help older relatives by warning them not to let strangers handle their jewelry, to step back from anyone who offers hugs or gifts from a car, and to check their pieces immediately after any unexpected encounter and call police.
