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Elderly woman robbed in latest home invasion
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In a second case of home invasion involving a man posing as a utilities worker, an elderly victim was robbed of $2,000, according to a recently released incident report from the Newton County Sherriff's Office.

"I'm pretty shook up," said the victim. "It's bad when you can't go to your own door."

The 84-year-old victim said she was preparing to go into town to the grocery store and to pay some bills shortly before noon on Feb. 5, when she heard a knock on her front door.

At first, she thought it might be the person giving her a ride, even though they usually came through the side door, said the victim.

Instead, there was a middle-aged, clean-cut white male with a blue jacket and blue jeans who said he was from the gas company.

According to the NCSO report, he told the victim there was a broken main up the street and entered the house without her permission.

The victim said she was told to stand in the bathroom and turn on the water while he went to the kitchen.

"I wasn't in there but two or three minutes," she said. "But you feel something's not right."

When she came out, she saw the man leaving with her purse and drive away unaccompanied in a grey Chevrolet Silverado.

The purse contained $2,000, her license, social security card, and checkbook, according to the report.

"It was all I had. It's all gone," she said.

When Deputy Matt Roberts arrived on the scene, he saw a car and driver similar to the description given by the victim. He informed another deputy who stopped the driver and took his information before releasing him, according to the report.

An incident reported earlier also occurred Tuesday, Feb. 5. A white male dressed in plain clothes came into the home of an 87-year-old Newton County resident saying he needed to check the water for a gas leak because of an accident just up the road and told the victim to stand at the sink. She saw the man leave in a newer model grey truck. Nothing was taken from the house.

The NCSO is still investigating the cases but believes the two are connected, said Lt. Mark Mitchell.

Anyone with information about the two cases can contact the Newton County Sherriff's Office at (678) 625-1403. Tips can be left anonymously at (678) 625-5007 or online at www.newtonsherriffga.org

Similar case

Outside of Newton County, another home invasion of an elderly resident occurred on Saturday afternoon in Grayson.

According to the Gwinnett County Police Department, two white males in their early 20s and 30s came into the home of an 85-year-old woman saying they were private contractors who had accidentally dug into a water line and needed to test her water. They left after a few minutes, but a several hours later, the victim noticed her purse was missing and her phone line had been cut.

Anyone with further information about this case can contact the Gwinnett County Police Department at 770-513-5100.