MIRAMAR, Fla. – Diane Reeves, an 81-year-old, is speaking out about what happened to her at her Miramar home on June 25 when two crooks posing as Florida Power & Light workers distracted her. They then got inside of her home and made off with jewelry worth about $25,000. The jewelry was special to her — her engagement and wedding ring, among other pieces.
On a doorbell camera outside of her home, video captures the worker and him telling Reeves: “We are doing some work in the back and we have to put a pole.”
Reeves said he told her to come outside. “He wanted to show me he was going to change my meter,” she said.
He told her that he didn’t need to go inside of her house. Also on the video, you can hear Reeves saying to the man: “You look kind of scary in those sunglasses and hat.”
The crook was congenial and laughed, taking off the sunglasses and hat. Seemingly kind and appearing like he was just doing his job, Reeves directed him.
“If you are going to go in my backyard, there’s a gate over here,” she told him.
Then she followed him. He pointed to where the meters would go and then told Reeves that his partner would be helping out.
Reeves said her antennas went up when they told her they would be returning right away, but after waiting about 10 minutes, she went back into her house.
“As I walked through my house, I knew immediately I had been robbed,” the elderly woman said.
The sentimental value is what hurts Reeves the most — that her engagement and wedding ring are gone.
“This comes after a similar incident involving an elderly woman in May where the suspect, posing as a tree trimmer, distracted the woman while he was able to get her out of the house. The crook in that case stole jewelry, too.
Police do not know if the crimes are connected, but they are actively working to find out.
“In my heart, I don’t hold hate, but I’d like to see these people stopped,” Reeves said.