Hi Neighbors,

Landings residents are fortunate to have a caring and conscientious police unit
working in our neighborhood. They are called the Neighborhood Action Team. 

Officer George Brandner comes to all of our board meetings and gives us updates of
the most recent crime situations in the city. Thankfully most do not impact us, but one
scenario that repeats itself often are the Gypsy Distraction crimes. The following is a
very complete outline of how these crimes are perpetrated.

Fort Lauderdale is known for having a large retirement/senior community and
seasonal (snowbird) population and with this comes a type of criminal that targets
these individuals. This type of crime historically targets senior citizens and more times
than not seniors who live alone. These types of crimes do not only happen at a
residences or homes but in shopping center parking lots, inside supermarkets and
many other places. These criminals always look for an opportunity to get and capture
the victim’s attention. These criminals come up with numerous ways to make a
seemingly innocent introduction and use ploys to get a sincere reception. 

Method of Operation

The culprits of these crimes seem to always target an elderly or senior citizen, this
senior citizen is usually alone whether they live alone or are shopping alone. The
culprits usually do not look like our preconceived image of a criminal. Often times
they dress the part they are playing. They may have a business card, a shirt with a
company name, advertisement on their vehicle, etc. These individuals talk well and
seem to have a good amount of knowledge about the person/profession they are
posing to be. In the past these individuals use the information the victim provides them
and feeds it back to the victim in a way that makes this introduction seem legitimate
or sincere. For example a “bad guy” knocks on a victim’s door at her home. She lives
alone. The victim answers the door and the “bad guy” advises he is here to fix her
roof. The victim has not called anyone to fix her roof or told anyone about issues with
her roof. The victim divulges information to the “bad guy” that he may have the
wrong house as her daughter lives next door and coincidently just had her roof
replaced. The “bad guy” picks up on this information and now feeds it back to the
victim and tells her that her daughter actually sent him over to look at her roof. The
victim not thinking twice now shows the “bad guy” a spot she believes to be leaking
on her roof. The victim and the “bad guy” are now outside on the side/rear of the
house. The second “bad guy” that the victim never saw entered her front door which
was left unlocked and proceeded to steal her jewelry from several rooms in the
house. This type of scheme is a very come method these gypsy/distraction type of
crews work/use. This scheme can be disguised in many different ways but several
things need to happen for the “bad guy” to be successful. 

1. The victim needs to either exit their home or let the “bad guy” enter.

2. The victim has to be either taken to a location that they cannot see the front door
or be in a room that they are secluded from the rest of the home.

3. The victim must leave the front door unlocked or another door they exit the home to
engage with the “bad guy”

The Landings & Bay Colony

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President's Message

The Landings Residential Association

Terry Bond, President

Landings Residential Association

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