CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. - Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office warns residents to be aware of a new scam in the area that caused an 87 year old Charlotte Harbor woman to have $1,000 cash stolen from her home Tuesday afternoon.

The woman and her sister who live in the 22000 block of Bayshore Road said about 2:40 p.m. a Hispanic male knocked on her door and said he worked for a local roofing company. He said they repaired her roof several years ago and needed to look at her roof to possibly replace a faulty vent. The woman and her sister both went outside to the rear of their house with the man, leaving the front door unlocked, as he pointed to the area in question on her roof.

The elderly woman became suspicious and went back into her home. She found three empty bank envelopes in her bedroom and then went back outside to talk to the man and her sister, only to find that the man left in a white pickup. She called CCSO and a deputy responded; a BOLO was issued for the truck and the Hispanic male described as about 30 years old, short black hair, dressed in blue jeans, white tee shirt and new white sneakers. Apparently while the man got the two women out of the unlocked house, an accomplice went into the home and stole the cash. Detectives say a similar case was reported in North Port.