‘Distraction Burglars’ Target Bossier City Resident

Bossier City police say two people may be going around town committing what are often referred to as distraction burglaries.

Elderly residents are often the targets of these types of crimes. One person will trick a resident out of the house, while an accomplice enters and steals valuables.

One case was reported to Bossier City police Thursday in the 1800 block of Southview Drive. An 83-year-old woman told officers a white adult male wearing a safety vest came to her front door and told her he worked for a company that was installing fiber optics lines behind her house. She saw a second person sitting in a white pickup truck parked in front of her house. The truck possibly had four doors with some kind of logo on the side.

The man told the woman he needed to show her where the fiber optic lines were being installed and asked her to accompany him to the back yard, which she did. After several minutes, the man got into the pickup and left.

When the woman walked back inside, she noticed her purse had been tampered with, and some money and a credit card were missing. Police believe while the man was distracting the woman in the back yard, the person in the pickup walked inside the house and took the woman's belongings.

This is the only case recently reported to Bossier City police, but residents are advised to be aware of this kind of activity. If someone claiming to be a contractor or utility worker shows up at your house unscheduled or uninvited, ask to see an ID and never let them into your home. Also let them know you're calling the police. If they're legitimate, they'll wait for officers to arrive to be properly identified. If they're not, they'll leave. When they do, be sure to report the incident to police.