Elderly Woman Victim of Law-Enforcement Imposter

Newport Beach police are warning residents to be wary of suspicious activity after an elderly woman in Corona del Mar was the victim of a residential burglary. 

The incident was reported Friday about 3:15 p.m. in the 200 block of Iris Avenue. Police say a man who implied that he was a representative of a law enforcement knocked on the woman's door and said he needed to access the rear of her residence to look for someone.

"This particular crime is a concern as the suspect ... was wearing what appeared to be a star-shaped badge around his neck," Lowe said.

The victim didn't open the door but allowed the man to use the side gate to get to her back yard. The suspect then told the victim to wait in the back yard while he checked the area. After a few minutes, she attempted to get back in the house, but had been locked out. When she walked to the front yard, she saw the man and two women sitting in a vehicle in front of her house.

"One of the females indicated she would help her get into her residence and walked her to the rear of her home. After a few moments, the female walked back to the front of the home," Lowe said. "The victim followed her and witnessed all three suspects fleeing the area in a white truck. When the victim entered her home,  she discovered that her bedroom had been ransacked."

The male suspect was described as being about 40 years old, 5-feet 8-inches tall and 150 pounds. He has black hair and was wearing a dark shirt, dark pants, sunglasses and black gloves. The female suspect is described as olive-skinned, about 40, 5-feet 2-inches tall, average build, crooked front teeth and wearing a white and black dress. Lowe said the female suspect spoke with an accent that could have been Polish. The second female is described as olive-skinned, 5-feet 2-inches tall, average build and wearing a purple and black dress.

The Newport Beach Police Department recommends the following crime prevention tips:

• Close and lock all doors and windows when you leave your home.

• Install a peephole in entry doors so you can see who is outside without having to open the door.
• Use deadbolt locks on all exterior doors and install a security strike plate on the door frame with a minimum of two, three-inch screws.
• Sliding doors and windows should have a wooden dowel placed in the track as a second layer of defense.
• Never let repairmen work unsupervised in your home and always secure your valuables before they arrive.

If you see suspicious activity, call the Newport Beach Police Department at (949) 644-3717.