Palo Alto Police: Scammers use trick to steal necklace from woman
PALO ALTO – Police in Palo Alto are searching for two suspects who apparently tricked a woman to steal her necklace Thursday morning.
The victim told police that she just parked at the Walgreens at 4170 El Camino Real when a man and a woman in a white sedan pulled up next to her.
Police said the woman, who was in the passenger seat, asked her for directions to the freeway. After the victim gave her directions, the woman then motioned the victim to get closer to her car and slipped a ring onto her finger as an apparent thank you.
The victim told the woman that the ring was not necessary, returned it to her and backed away. Police said the woman then exited the car and placed a necklace around the victim, also as an apparent thank you for giving them the directions.
The victim then walked away and the suspects drove away.
According to police, when the victim returned home, she realized her gold necklace was stolen from around her neck when the female suspect placed the new necklace around her. The stolen necklace has an estimated value of more than $1,000.
The victim described the suspects between 50 and 60 years in age. The male, who drove the sedan, had a black beard.
Additional details about the suspect vehicle was not immediately available.
Police said Friday that there have not been any other recent jewelry swap thefts in Palo Alto, with the most recent such cases in May 2022 and October 2021. No suspects in the other crimes have been identified.
Anyone with information about the theft is asked to call Palo Alto Police at 650-329-2413. Tips can be given anonymously by emailing paloalto@tipnow.org or by texting or leaving a voicemail at 650-383-8984.
