BSO: Operation Nets Family Of Distraction Burglars

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FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) -- A multi-agency operation ended with a family behind bars, accused of taking part in a distraction burglary targeting elderly people.

Broward Sheriff's Office deputies said Skippy Thompson, 21, of Hollywood, showed up at the Tamarac home of a 92-year old Mayetta Scartz Tuesday saying he needed to go to her backyard to clean debris from a golf course and spray for bugs.

From there, the two made their way to the backyard while Scartz's front door remained unlocked.

While they were outside, Scartz realized she needed her walker and told Skippy Thompson who, police say, then grabbed her by the arm and told her he would get it while waving his arms as if telling someone to go away.

He then said he would come back to the home the following day, according to the report. That's when Scartz made her way back inside and Thompson left.

Scartz told CBS4 News that she had no idea what the men were up to.

"I didn't catch on," she said. "I just wasn't quick enough."

What the Thompson's didn't know is that deputies were watching the entire thing, thanks to a tip from Boca Raton Police.

"We watched them do it," said BSO Sgt. Valerie Devlin, adding that "(The Thompson's) are responsible for numerous burglaries in the tri-county area."

BSO said they spotted three men going inside the woman's home while she was out in the yard with Thompson then run back to the car a few minutes later prompting them to follow the car.

Once deputies said they confirmed the burglary of two envelopes full of hundreds of dollars in cash from her home, they pulled over the car and arrested Skippy Thompson along with three other men inside the car identified as Rocky Thompson, 51; Bill Thompson, 24, and 53-year old David Thompson.

All four men are facing charges for burglary and grand theft.

Scartz is grateful that detectives made the arrests so quickly and she also knows that seniors always need to be on their guard.

"We as seniors know that we're targeted every time we walk out of the house," she said.
BSO says seniors should not let strangers into their homes and should not keep too many valuables inside their house.

All four of the Thompson's went before a judge on Wednesday. Because of the arrest on Tuesday, BSO says Rocky Thompson is also now charged in a similar case in Fort Lauderdale. He's being held in jail without bond. The other three have bond but if they get out of jail they must wear an electronic monitor.

In court, one of the Thompson's said they did not commit these crimes.

"There's like 100 families of gypsies that comes in and burglarizes every year on the year and (the cops) know that," the man said. "Every summer on the summer, and we don't like it because I stopped it."

BSO says these guys should be ashamed of themselves.

"It's disgraceful," said Sgt. Devlin. "It's disgusting. And we're gonna work as hard as we can to keep them off the streets."

Deputies believe the group targeted more elderly victims in Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade County.They are asking anyone who believes they are a victim of a distraction burglary to call Broward Crimestoppers at (954) 493-TIPS.