Accused 'Pigeon Drop' perps: Detectives warn about group of thieves targeting elderly people with elaborate scam

 

FUGITIVES UPDATE August 21, 2015 -- King County detectives say a fourth woman has now fallen victim to the so-called ‘Pigeon Drop’ scam targeting elderly people in parking lots. The newest case is in Burien. Take a look at the bank surveillance photos below. King county detectives are trying to identify the well-dressed woman in black, wearing sunglasses, hat and with a phone up to her ear.

The victim gave her $5,000 and a ride and joins a growing list of victims or ‘Pigeons’ as the thieves call them. It's believed there are four suspects including this woman in the purple. Detectives are working to identify all of them. The suspect in Burien is black, with an average build. She has dreadlocks or tight corn rolls and is around 50 years old if you know her name or who any of the suspects are, call an anonymous tip into: CRIME STOPPERS: 1-800-222-TIPS You must call the Crime Stoppers hotline with your tip to be eligible to receive a cash reward for information leading to a fugitive’s arrest. CLICK HERE for information on how to TEXT A TIP to Crime Stoppers.

FUGITIVES WANTED IN KING COUNTY August 14, 2015 -- King County detectives are warning about a group of thieves targeting elderly people in the so-called ‘Pigeon Drop’ scam. The latest victim in Newcastle is out $10,000 and too embarrassed to tell her family about it. Now, investigators are asking for help identifying one of the suspects. She's well dressed in her purple suit and stylish hat and detectives say part of a sophisticated group of con artists

“They picked my victim out of the home depot parking lot,” says King County Det. Christy Marsalisi. She says the woman she's trying to identify is one of at least three suspects pulling the ‘Pigeon Drop’ scam on elderly women. Pigeon is another word for ‘mark’ or victim and the story she tells goes like this: “She just got off a plane from Africa. She has a large amount of money that was willed to her by a doctor in Africa and she needs to give it to various donations." In return, the suspect says she'll give the victim some cash, she just needs to get to the Denny's restaurant in Renton to meet her lawyer whose going to help distribute the money. "My victim talks to the attorney and the attorney says, ‘Whatever you do, don`t leave her. She`s new to the country. She has a large sum of money.’ So my victim thinks she`s doing something good. She stays with the woman.” The bogus attorney shows up, but then suspect #1 says she doesn't trust banks. "Suspect #2 gets out to prove to Suspect #1 that banks are trustworthy. She goes in the bank, she says she withdraws a large sum of money, comes back to the car, shows the money, leaves the money in my victim`s car, tells the victim to drive around the parking lot to show trust." Then, it was the victim's turn. We've blurred her face but a surveillance photo shows her withdrawing $10,000 with the suspect in the hat right behind her. "She came back and they said, ‘Hand us the money, drive around the bank and we`ll prove to you that we`re trustworthy.’ So, she does that. She comes back and of course, they`re gone.” She's one of three women who've fallen victim to the scam so far. The others are in Tukwila and Burien. Det. Marsalisi is hoping more will see this story and come forward. “If this happened to you and you’re embarrassed you`re not alone. Call police and file a report.” If you can tell detectives who this woman is, call an anonymous tip into: CRIME STOPPERS: 1-800-222-TIPS You must call the Crime Stoppers hotline with your tip to be eligible to receive a cash reward for information leading to a fugitive’s arrest. CLICK HERE for information on how to TEXT A TIP to Crime Stoppers.