Heartless thieves steal money elderly couple meant to use as Christmas gifts for their grandchildren

SOUTHGATE, Mich (wxyz) - "It's disgusting. I was trying to be friendly and they did this!'" That's what 80-year-old Evaristo Vasquez said after thieves conned their way into his Southgate apartment and walked out with a safe.

Evaristo and his wife watched it happen.

It started last Saturday afternoon when two women knocked on the door. They then barged into the apartment saying they were thinking of moving into the area.

The women asked for water and juice, before a man came in and joined the conversation.

Soon after, Evaristo says, the man went into the bedroom closet and took the safe off a desk.  That safe had hundreds of dollars in cash in it, as well as rings worth more than a thousand dollars.

Evaristo says some of the money was for Christmas cash for the couple's 14 grandchildren.

When the trio left, Evaristo called police but by the time officers arrived the thieves were long gone.

"This is horrible," says Belinda Vasquez, the couple's daughter.  "My parents worked hard to save some money and these people came and just took it."

Evaristo and his wife have been married 60 years. They were in the process of moving out of their apartment but after the robbery, their kids came and moved them the very next day.

If you know anything about the robbery, call police in Southgate.

Officers are advising resident to be careful, reminding them to not open the door for anyone they don't know. In fact, they say that if you are concerned, call police if they don't go away.