Crime & Safety
Motorist Robbed in Street Scam
It happened on El Camino Real in Burlingame, but the scammers were in a vehicle and could strike anywhere next.
An elderly woman in Burlingame was the victim of a van full of scammers on Tuesday. Police have issued an alert in hopes of preventing more cases.
The woman was driving on El Camino when a white van pulled alongside her and the occupants yelled to her that her vehicle was making "funny sounds" and that something was wrong with her rear tire.
She parked her vehicle on Edgehill Drive near El Camino. The van, which was occupied by two Hispanic males and an Hispanic female, parked behind her.
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The men got out of the van and met the victim near the front of her car. One of them distracted the victim by attempting to “fix” the non-damaged tire. The second man reached into the open passenger window and snatched the victim’s wallet from her purse. The two suspects then returned to the van and drove away.
The victim went back to her vehicle and noticed that her wallet was missing from her purse.
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Here are the descriptions of the suspects:
- Hispanic male, approximately 40 years of age. Thin build, black hair and brown skin.
- Hispanic male, approximately 20 years of age. Thin build, had black hair and brown skin.
- Hispanic female, approximately 40 years of age. Dark hair and brown skin.
The victim described the suspect's vehicle as an older white van. She was unsure if it was a panel van or a mini-van with windows. The van appeared "dirty."
