
An elderly woman in South San Francisco fell prey to a jewelry theft scam outside a local supermarket last Thursday, only for the suspects to be caught two days later. The South San Francisco Police Department (SSFPD) reported on social media that an 85-year-old victim was duped when a female suspect in an SUV called her over and took her jewelry in the guise of a hug, a tactic often used to lull victims into a false sense of security.
The suspects' vehicle, identifiable via a Flock Safety camera alert, surfaced again in another part of town last Saturday, triggering a response from patrol officers who anticipated their return to the original crime scene, according to the South San Francisco Police Department's Facebook post, officers found the pair with fake jewelry on them in what seemed to be another hunt for unsuspecting victims.
The man and woman were recognized as the prior thieves and were subsequently charged and incarcerated at San Mateo County Jail with theft, elder abuse, and conspiracy-related offenses.