Elderly Troy couple scammed out of $800 and jewelry

TROY (WXYZ) - Police in Troy are investigating a scam that left an elderly couple out of hundreds of dollars and valuables.

Both in their 80s, the couple left a restaurant and  stopped at this gas station off of 14 Mile and Dequindre in Troy Sunday night.

As the woman came out of the store, she was approached by a stranger who referred to her as his mother.

She was confused by his behavior and she got into the car with her husband and they went home.

Within five minutes, the man and his family arrived at her house.

“They pulled in behind them,” said the victims’ daughter-in-law Kathy Litten.  “She took out the garbage which is routine on Sunday nights.  Before she got in the house they were in the house.”

The same man she saw at the gas station was inside the couple’s home with a woman and child about four years old.

“The little boy was kind of walking, wandering around the home and female ended up getting into one of the upstairs bedrooms,” said Officer Janice Polkley.  “The man stayed down with the elderly couple and then after a few minutes they ended up leaving.”

The family walked away with $800 dollars and all of the victim’s jewelry.

“They told them they knew them from the restaurant.  So when they’re getting old her like that they’re thinking well do we know them,” said Litten.

Geriatric Medicine Specialist at Beaumont Hospital, Dr. Amita Pai, told 7 Action News it is common for those in their 80s to get confused.

“Multi-tasking is hard.  It’s hard to focus on all the tasks,”  said Dr. Pai.  “So maybe the lady was listening to him and she had to process in her mind. That’s hard to do for an elderly person.”

Right now police warning people to be alert.

According to the victim’s family the couple is now extremely frightened by the incident.

“They’re traumatized,” said Litten.