Police: Thieves have done other scams

One man distracted the victim while his partner took items from the home.
YOUNGSTOWN -- City police say two men who stole $100,000 in cash, plus some rare coins and jewelry from an 84-year-old South Meridian Road man Tuesday morning have pulled similar scams on other older city residents.
The victim, who reported the crime to police at about 11 a.m. Wednesday, said he was approached at his home by two men in a white pick-up truck who said their brother had put in a driveway for him about six months ago.
While one of the men distracted the victim by talking to him in the garage, the other scam artist apparently went into the victim's home and took several rings out of a jewelry box, a number of rare coins and about $100,000 in cash the victim kept in a shaving kit in his bedroom.
Most of the bills were in $100 denominations and there were also about 60 $2 bills, the victim told police.
The victim said that while he was talking to one of the men, he noticed the other man walking down the driveway. The second man told his partner, "Let's get out of here," the victim said, and they left in a white late-model pick-up.
The man told police that when he went back in his house, he noticed that papers and a cloth bag he had placed over the shaving kit had been moved, and discovered the theft.
The victim said the thieves, whom he described as thin white men in their 40s, were at his home for about 20 minutes.
Police believe the same two men have been pulling the same scam of targeting the elderly and saying they will pave or finish a driveway for $3,000 and will take less if they are paid in cash and then take the money without doing the work.