By Dominick Tao, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, December 2, 2010
CLEARWATER BEACH – Would be home buyers turned out to be a trio of jewelry-stealing tricksters last month, according to Clearwater Police.
The ruse and robbery happened on Sunday as Michael McClain answered a knock on the front door of his home. Two men, whose identities are still unknown, identified themselves as potential buyers for McClain's house, which had a "for sale" sign in the yard.
The men, in their 30s or 40s, followed McClain around his house until one of them peeled off to talk on his cell phone. According to police, the man claimed to be "telling his mother about the home" in an undetermined "foreign language."
In reality, police say, the man was speaking to a third suspect outside — who upon a signal entered McClain's house via the unlocked front door and stole several pieces of jewelry while his accomplices distracted their victim.
According to police, McClain didn't realize the items were missing until the men had left.
No specific description of the suspects was immediately available, however the men left the scene in a gold, late-model Cadillac SUV.
Dominick Tao can be reached at dtao@sptimes.com or (727) 580-2951.