Montgomery County police warn of distraction thefts targeting older adults and give prevention steps

Marcela Rodrdiguez Villagr
n introduced Officer Carlos Cort9s of the Montgomery County Police Department to discuss safety for older residents. Cort9s detailed common tactics used in distraction thefts and offered specific prevention and reporting guidance.

Cort9s described tactics in which suspects create a diversion so an accomplice can take property: offering an item on the ground, feigning a need for help, or physically touching a victim under the pretext of giving a blessing. He said such incidents commonly occur at ATMs, in parking lots and near stores or transit stops.

"Mant9nganse siempre alerta," Cort9s told listeners, urging people not to allow strangers into their personal space and to refuse unsolicited gifts or blessings. He advised that if someone feels followed or sees suspicious behavior, they should call 911. For incidents discovered later, Cort9s repeated the county non-emergency line, 301-279-8000, and recommended documenting the location, suspect descriptions, vehicle details and checking for surveillance cameras.

Cort9s also explained jurisdictional limits: Montgomery County police investigate crimes that occur within the county; if an incident happened in another county, residents should report it to that county's police. He noted the department operates six stations in the county and said there are roughly 1,000 to 1,200 officers, acknowledging that police cannot be everywhere and asking the community to share information that helps investigations.

Why this matters: older adults are often targeted because they may be polite or less likely to suspect criminal intent. Police said alert, informed neighbors and documented descriptions of incidents improve the chance of identifying suspects and preventing further crimes.

The department encouraged residents to report suspicious contacts promptly and to share prevention information with older family members and neighbors.