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Jan 8, 2009 4:50 pm US/Central
FWPD Warns Elderly Residents To Be Cautious
FORT WORTH (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
For several weeks CBS 11 News has reported on a number of attacks against elderly people. Now, Fort Worth police are warning elderly residents to be on the lookout. Officials say they've seen an increase in the number of people robbed and attacked after leaving area grocery stores.
Wednesday night two more elderly people were robbed in the same area as previous attacks - east Fort Worth. The robberies happened on Oak Hill Road and Havenwood, respectively.
"He pulled up by his porch, got out, and two people jumped him - male and female," Kelly Horne explained about the attack against her father. "And [they] ripped his pants getting his wallet out. They took him inside and had him sit in a chair in his bedroom."
The robbers ransacked the house before stealing the elderly man's maroon-colored 1993 Crown Victoria.
Neighbors told CBS 11 News that they've recently chased off suspicious people who appeared to be staking out the 85-year-old victim's house. "Our neighbor, next door, he watches my dad and he's called the police before," said Horne. "They've been in the car, they've been on foot. It's been about three different times."
A short time after Horne's father was attacked and just a couple of miles away, an 87-year-old man was jumped while unloading groceries in his garage. The elderly gentleman was shoved into a closet by a man threatening to shoot him. The attacker and another person ransacked the man's house before leaving with his wallet.
According to police records, there have been half dozen robberies, attempted robberies, or assaults on people 60 years old or over, since last spring in the Oak Hill Road area alone.
News of the series of attacks on elderly people has some shoppers on edge. "I watch to see if anybody follows me home while I'm driving. I watch to see if anybody's walking around. Right now I'm keeping an eye on my purse," Margaret Gibbs said as she left a local business.
Police are stepping up patrols around east side retail areas and they've asked store employees to help. "If any of the employees come to a manager and say 'hey I think we saw some suspicious activity over here on aisle 10' following an elderly person, don't wait, don't hesitate. Call 911," urged Fort Worth police Lt. Paul Henderson. "Because it's become that critical for us to get these persons in custody, where they belong."
Law enforcement officials say they're also going to have community patrol officers checking on elderly residents in their assigned areas.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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