Elderly at-home elderly being watched Beware of “visiting theft”

Elderly at-home elderly being watched for "visit theft" 18:46 on March 21, one after another due to spread of infection

As more and more people refrain from going out due to the new coronavirus, it turns out that crimes targeting the elderly at home are occurring one after another.

This is called a "visiting theft," in which multiple men visit the house pretending to be electric contractors and others, and while the residents are present for inspection, another man looks around the house and steals it. .

47 similar damages have been identified, and the Police have called for attention.

Due to the new coronavirus, more people are refraining from going out. According to the Metropolitan Police Department, the number of 110 calls from 1st to 18th in this month was 14,000, compared to the same period of the previous year, 14,000 cases. Down 15%.

Meanwhile, it turned out that crimes aimed at the elderly at home were occurring one after another. This is called "visiting theft."

In January of this year, a case of infected people in the country was starting to appear. In January in Machida City, a man in a work clothes named an electric contractor visited while a woman in her 80s was alone. . The men said, "I'd like to show you a breaker because there was a short circuit near me."

One inspected the second floor and the other inspected the first floor. Then, while the woman was present at the second floor inspection, another was said to have withdrawn 150,000 yen of cash from the wallet on the first floor. They disappeared, saying, "Thank you."

Such "visit theft". It was found that 47 similar cases were confirmed from January to the end of last month.

The victim's woman was afraid to go out because she was afraid of infection and said, "I didn't think I was going to get hurt. I want you to stop stealing old money."

Crime prevention experts pointed out that crimes aimed at those who refrain from going out may be more and more, and said, `` I pretend to be an official of the government office and say, 'I will test the new coronavirus free.' It's no harm if there is a case to come in. Usually there is an image of aiming for an absence house, but it is recognized that there are cases where people go because there are people, and crime prevention measures such as not opening the door fully and responding I want them to be thorough. "

Number 110 decreased due to going out

While many people are refraining from going out due to the effect of the new coronavirus, the number of 110 calls has been reduced in Tokyo.

According to the Metropolitan Police Department, the number of 110 calls received from 1 to 18 this month was about 74,000, a decrease of about 14,000 compared to the same period last year, a decrease of about 15%. .

In downtown, some crimes have dropped significantly.

According to the Tsukiji Police Station, which controls Ginza, only four cases of shoplifting aimed at branded products sent by the 16th of this month, less than half the average.

According to the Tsukiji Police Station, "The decrease in crowds has made it easier for shop assistants to reach the eye and make it harder to create gaps."

Sugamo also has a sharp decline in the elderly

Due to the new coronavirus, the number of shoppers is decreasing even in the shopping district of Sugamo, Tokyo, which is popular among elderly people.

According to the Sugamo Jizo-dori Shopping District Promotion Association, with the spread of the new coronavirus, the number of visitors mainly from the elderly began to decrease from the end of last month, and since this month it has averaged about half of the average That is.

It is said that visitors come to the store only after deciding what to buy in advance, such as daily necessities, and go back to the store without talking.

The owner of a Senbei store, which has a store at the entrance of the shopping district for more than 25 years, says, "Elderly people are not regular customers even recently, and the number of customers and sales are falling. It is said that unnecessary emergency outings should be avoided. I think that especially elderly people are kept out of their homes. "

47 home visits aimed at elderly people at home

`` Visiting theft '' where multiple men visit the house in the guise of an electrical contractor and say `` inspection is needed '', and in the opportunity of having the residents attend the inspection, another man looks around the house and steals. .

From January to the end of last month, 47 similar incidents were reported in Shinjuku Ward, Machida City, Kokubunji City, Mitaka City, etc. in an interview with the Metropolitan Police Department.

The feature of "visiting theft" is that two or more people get into the house, such as checking for a leak or checking a breaker.

Then, while one of them is inviting residents to walk in the room or attend an inspection, the rest of the men look around the house and steal.

There are many groups of two or three people, but there are also groups of six people.

As more and more people refrain from going out due to concerns about the infection of the new coronavirus, the Metropolitan Police Agency is calling on those who do not know to come home without permission.

"Don't steal old money"

An elderly woman who was victim of the “visit theft” was afraid of being affected at home because she thought she was safe while she was going out because she was afraid of the new coronavirus infection. .

In January, a woman in her 80s in Machida City, Tokyo, was alone at home, and a pair of men wearing work clothes came to visit in January. That is.

The men said, "I'm looking for a breaker because there is a short circuit near me." The woman thought it was strange because the house's light bulbs and televisions were usually on the street, but the men answered, "I'm walking around here and there," and came up inside the house, pretending to be checking.

After a while, one person said, "I want you to show the breaker on the second floor," and went up to the second floor without permission. The woman first said, "No," but she began to look into the closet and ceiling, so she was witnessed on the second floor. One man and a woman remain on the second floor, and another man remains on the first floor. When the inspection was over, the men disappeared, saying, "Thank you."

However, after that, when the woman looked inside the house, she found the bag on the chair was open. 150,000 yen of cash was withdrawn from the wallet in the bag. It seems that the woman was stolen while she was attracted to the second floor.

The woman refrained from going out for fear of infection and said, "I didn't think I was going to suffer this kind of thing. Was there. "

And as for the men, they said, "I'm fine, but the men didn't ask me," No, "I was angry to hear that similar damage was happening here and there. I don't want to steal old money anymore. "

"Beware of crime tailored to various phenomena" Expert

According to Masayuki Umemoto, president of the Japan Security School, who is well-versed in crime prevention measures, there is an image that thieves aim to stay away from home, as more and more people refrain from going out due to the new coronavirus. But we need to be aware that there are criminals who, like now, aim for them if they are at home. "

In addition to thefts that pretend to be inspections, such as this “visit theft,” the spread of the new coronavirus could lead to new crimes.

Umemoto says, "Criminals are tailored to the various phenomena that are happening in the world. That's why it's important to think about crime prevention in your life when you're at home to prevent the spread of the virus. "

And, specifically, if you are at home alone, do not open the entrance door immediately.If you can not do it, do not open it fully with a door chain etc. We are calling for caution, such as confirming employee IDs, etc., without responding to.