Police: Fast-moving crooks swindle woman

Many in a Newnan community are on alert after a woman was tricked by of a couple of fast moving crooks.

Now residents of the well-established neighborhood on Woodland Drive are keeping a keen eye out for a woman recorded on surveillance.

"Someone knocked on the door saying she's with a utility company, you know most people are going to believe that," said Randolph Collins who lives on Woodlawn Drive and is friends with the victim.

Newnan Police said the woman lured the homeowner, a woman in her 70s, out of her house Friday under the pretense that crews were there to do some utility work on power lines.

It was long enough to allow her male companion to enter the home and leave with thousands of dollars of the woman's personal belongings.

"While they were out there someone else went to the house and stole some items out of the house," said Chief Douglas Meadows of the Newnan Police Department.

He said Newnan Police are now searching for the woman's car. Surveillance picture shows what police believe is a white KIA Optima.

Chief Meadows said the woman claimed to work for a utility company with the same name as the jacket she was wearing.

"She had a Columbia jacket on and she told her she was with Columbia Power. I think she was just playing off of what came to mind at the time when she had to think of something," said Chief Meadows.

Resident Tom Freeman told FOX 5 News people he doesn't know of a Columbia Power in the area.

"No, I've never heard that name we don't have that here," said Freeman.

He said he's glad his family has a dog and watchful neighbors.

Now he and others are considering enhanced security after the unwelcome visit by unscrupulous scammers who took advantage of a vulnerable neighbor.

"We're looking at either investing into a wireless or a nice video system," said Collins.

"We all have to be more careful and vigilant obviously," said Freeman.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Sgt. Beatrice Bugg with the Newnan Police Department at 770-254-2355.

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