Young Girls Used In Potential Robbery Scam: Hopatcong Police

HOPATCONG, NJ — Hopatcong Police believe two young girls were used in a potential robbery scam, calling it a "very peculiar" twist on a well-known tactic.

On August 6, two girls approached a Shawnee Road home, making smalltalk with the homeowner before saying they used to live in the home. The girls asked if they could look inside, a request the homeowner declined, according to police.

At that point, the homeowner's boyfriend woke up from a nap, asking who was at the front door. While the homeowner answered her boyfriend, the two girls walked inside without permission.

The homeowner "repeatedly" told the two girls to leave, police said, and they looked in every room before leaving. The homeowner told police she didn't think too much of the incident until she noticed an "an older male, wearing a ball cap and t-shirt, who had no teeth" looking at her backyard shed, police said.

All three got into a beige Chrysler Sebring convertible with a handicap plaque, police said. The girls were around 13-14 years old, both white with blonde hair. The older girl had a blue dyed tips in her hair.

After recounting the incident to friends, the homeowner became worried that the girls were casing her home, and she reported the incident to police. No arrests have been made.

Hopatcong Captain Tom Kmetz called this tactic a "popular scam."

"Someone will distract you while another person is stealing your stuff. Usually it is someone trying to get you outside of you home by showing you what is wrong with your chimney or home. Then the other party goes inside and steals your valuables. the use of young girls in this situation is not normally what we see. Very peculiar," Kmetz said.

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