CBS12 News Team

Boca woman, 99, swindled by woman posing as FPL worker

BOCA RATON, Fla. -- A 99-year old Boca Raton woman making a personal plea tonight after a thief posing as an FPL worker cleans her out. Now police are searching for the crook and her accomplice after they conned the woman out of money, jewelry and her most prized possession.

Lucille Jacobs: I don't know why pick on me?

Because thieves don't usually care about their victims and Lucille Jacobs to them probably looked to them like an easy target.

Lucille Jacobs: They probably had this place pegged to do something.

2:30 Thursday afternoon a woman knocked on the door and rang the doorbell at Jacobs' Boca Raton home.

Lucille Jacobs: My daughter said, 'Never open the door,' and I wouldn't, until she made so much noise out there, she said. And I went to the door, and I looked through the peephole. I said, 'Who are you?' and she said, 'Florida Power and Light, and it's very important that I speak with you.

The woman convinced her to meet her on the back patio.

Lucille Jacobs: She said, 'You know the trouble we're having in New York? Well, we want to make it better. We're going to have a lot of hurricanes here, and they want people to have lights,' I'm telling you, she was professional."

Professional thief it seemed. The two chatted on the side of the house for about 30 minutes.

Lucille Jacobs: She had this little radio, and she heard everything they were saying and they heard everything she was saying. The fellow was talking to her.

But that was no co-worker, turns out just an accomplice. When Lucille Jacobs came back in, she headed to her bedroom.

Lucille Jacobs: They had taken one of the pillowcases off my pillow. She took all the jewelry."

Tens of thousands of dollars worth of jewelry, $1,500 in cash, evening gowns and a mink stole.

Lucille Jacobs: My husband had given me a diamond wedding band that he had made for our 55th wedding anniversary, and I said if I could only have that, I don't care about anything else.

FPL officials say they will never send someone to your home without making prior arrangements. If anyone comes to your door saying they are from FPL, ask for identification and call FPL.

The female suspect is described as a woman with long, dark hair in a ponytail. She was last seen wearing maternity clothing. If you have any information, you're asked to call Palm Beach County Crimestoppers at 1-800-458-TIPS

Tuesday, July 17 2012, 11:31 PM EDT

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