TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Police Officers are looking for two people who tricked an elderly woman with a phony story.
Mary Wirth of North Tampa, 90, said she only saw one person. The person knocked on her door, Saturday, claiming to be an employee with TECO. The crook said he needed to do work in her backyard. Wirth said she was not feeling well and believed the story.
"He kept mentioning TECO. TECO. See," Wirth said.
She said the crook distracted her for about 15 to 20 minutes.
"You see he tried as much as he could to keep me entertained in my backyard," Wirth said.
At some point, the fake TECO employee got on the phone to talk to someone else. TPD said a second person got into the house, stealing cash and jewelry.
"She’s just very trusting and so I almost didn’t want to hear the story," Belinda Green said.
Green, Wirth's daughter, did not find out about the scam until the next day.
"I want them to get caught. They don’t need to be doing this to anybody else," Green said.
Wirth said she wants the suspects caught too.
"Well I’d like to have my jewelry back that’s how bad I want them caught," Wirth said.
Wirth said she wants other people to learn from what happened to her because she has learned from it too.
"I go to the window now tell them go away or I’ll call the police," Wirth said.
Officers continue investigating this case.
TECO said their employees always wear a badge. They said it is okay to ask for an ID and to call their customer service line to verify someone's employment.
