My South Philly Review Crime Beat Column: Beware Of The Grandparent Scam

 The South Philly Review ran my Crime Beat column today on the grandparent scam.

 You can read the column via the above page or the text below:

Imagine you have received a late-night call from your grandson who states he’s in a Mexican prison. He tells you that he is locked up for narcotics and he needs $10,000 desperately to get released.

 Would you wire the money?

In an excited state while listening on a scratchy telephone line, would you be able to tell for certain that the caller was in fact your grandson? Some scammers have been known to use artificial intelligence (AI) to clone the loved one’s voice. With a short audio clip – perhaps from content posted online - and a voice-cloning program, scammers can call and sound just like the grandson. Scammers are good at pretending to be someone that they’re not.

Sadly, scenarios like do occur when scam artists ply their evil trade against elderly and vulnerable grandparents. Some victims have spent their life savings to rescue their beloved grandchildren in need, only to later discover that they have been tricked by unscrupulous crooks.

The FBI calls this crime the “Grandparent Scam.” The scam takes advantage of the love and concern of grandparents.  

According to the FBI, a scammer calls a senior citizen victim and poses as the victim's grandchild, who is purportedly in jail. Another scammer contacts the victim, posing as the grandchild's attorney, and requests payment for legal fees, bond money, or medical expenses for a purportedly injured person involved in the accident.

Scammers instruct victims to maintain secrecy, sometimes referring to a judge-imposed gag order, which, if broken, will result in the grandchild going to jail or incurring more fines.

Scammers instruct victims to send funds via wire transfer; cash, packaged in magazines or books, and sent through the U.S. mail.

According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), they have been receiving complaints about the grandparent scam since 2008.

“But the scam and scam artists have become more sophisticated,” the FBI noted. “Thanks to the Internet and social networking sites, a criminal can sometimes uncover personal information about their targets, which makes the impersonations more believable. For example, the actual grandson may mention on his social networking site that he’s a photographer who often travels to Mexico. When contacting the grandparents, the phony grandson will say he’s calling from Mexico, where someone stole his camera equipment and passport.”

In some cases, the caller claims to be a foreign police officer, a lawyer or a doctor who is calling on the grandchild’s behalf.

“We’ve also seen military families victimized: after perusing a soldier’s social networking site, a con artist will contact the soldier’s grandparents, sometimes claiming that a problem came up during military leave that requires money to address.”

The FBI advises victims to resist pressure to act too quickly. Try to contact your loved one or another family member to determine if the call is in fact legitimate. And never wire money based on a call or email, especially overseas. Wiring money is like handing over cash. You can’t get it back.

One can also ask the caller a personal question only the loved one would know. Or use a phone number that is known to the grandparents and ask if the grandchild is truly in trouble. 

Scammers instruct you to pay in a specific way. They often insist that you can only pay in ways that make it tough to get your money back by wiring money through a company like Western Union.

The FBI notes that the financial losses in these cases -while they can be substantial for an individual, usually several thousand dollars per victim - typically don’t meet the FBI’s financial thresholds for opening an investigation. The FBI suggests that if you have been scammed, contact local authorities or the state consumer protection agency.

The FBI also suggests that a victim file a complaint with IC3 (Home Page - Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)), which not only forwards complaints to the appropriate agencies, but also collates and analyzes the data—looking for common threads that link complaints and help identify the crooks.

Paul Davis’s Crime Beat column appears here each week. He can be reached via pauldavisoncrime.com.  

My South Philly Review Crime Beat Column: An Interview With Philadelphia Police Captain Kelly Robbins

The South Philly Review published my Crime Beat Column On the Philadelphia Police South Division’s Retail Theft Team.  

You can read the column via the page above or the text below:

I ventured to the 1^st District at 24^th and Wolf Streets and interviewed the 1^st District commanding officer, Captain Kelly Robbins, about retail theft in South Philadelphia.

Speaking to Captain Robbins in her office, she mentioned that she housed a Retail Theft Team which covered all of South Philly.

 "The Retail Theft Team is two officers, not detectives, who focus directly on retail theft,” the 20-year-police veteran explained. “They do other stuff as well, but retail theft is their primary focus. They are more in tune than other officers to every retail theft job that is happening in South Division. They are also more in tune with offenders, prolific offenders specifically, so they track those people. They know who they are, they know where they live, and they know what their pattern of operation is.

“They go out and collect data that otherwise would sit for a while before detectives were able to get to it, because detectives are handling so many other jobs. For example, video is a big one. The retail theft team will go out as soon as a retail theft happens and they will collect as much video as they can, not only from the store, but from any cameras we have out on the public street that will help us identify the person, or identify where they are going with these goods, who they are selling these goods to,” Robbins said.

“So they try to get as much evidence as they can that detectives would otherwise struggle timewise with. And they try to tie the jobs together, so when it goes to detectives, we are not just talking about one retail theft, we’re talking about a job that has been put together for multiple retail thefts, prolific offenders, with evidence already included together in the package. It all goes to detectives so they can start out their investigation ahead of the curve.”

Robbins stated there is a great chance of going forward in prosecution, and for it to be successful in prosecution, if there are multiple jobs tied together.

“Retail theft is a big problem in South Philadelphia. Retail theft, theft from auto and package theft are our three biggest property crimes. We don’t have violent crime like other areas of the city, but it is frustrating for people to lose their property and lose it so frequently.

“We regularly do what we call “blitzes.” They are organized by the retail theft team. They decide what stores they are going to hit and in what order they are going to hit them. They go in plain clothes, and they conduct a blitz operation in an attempt to catch people in the act of retail theft. We have been quite successful in that. During the last one we locked up at least three or four people in a few hours.”

Robbins said her team works often with their business partners. Her officers try to assist the store managers with a risk assessment on their property if they are asked to help or they see a significant pattern.

“We find out if there are any holes in their security, like lighting or if there is some way that makes it more likely for people to steal from them. We try to target harden their business. We develop relationships directly with the store managers to try and increase communications.  

“We encourage all people, civilian or security, not to engage. You are there to be a good witness. You are there to see it, report it and make a statement for us. Unless you are being attacked, don’t engage.” 

Robbins said that some shoplifters steal for consumption or because they are struggling with homelessness, mental issues or drug issues. Then there is a separate group that steals high-end items and resells them to turn a profit.

“For the last three years we've seen retail thefts inching upwards. So, in 2023, we reached 638, in 2024 we have 810, and then in 2025 with 831.This is the first year where we're now starting to see that number come down, and I think it's because of the retail theft team.”

Paul Davis’s Crime Beat column appears here each week. He can be reached via pauldavisoncrime.com. 

My South Philly Review Crime Beat Column: Philadelphia Police SafeCam: Private Cameras For Public Safety

 The South Philly Review published Crime Beat column yesterday. 

You can read the column via the page above or the text below:

I recall visiting the Philadelphia Police Homicide Division when it was housed in the old “Roundhouse” police headquarters some years ago. 

The old building at 8^th and Race Steets was called the Roundhouse due its circular structure, which has been said to resemble a pair of handcuffs when seen from the sky. 

Homicide detectives are considered the top-of-the-line investigators. I spoke to then-Lt. Mark Deegan in the crowded homicide division office, and he explained to me that the first thing homicide detectives do at a murder scene is look for residential and business cameras. Often the footage on the cameras aids the investigation by identifying the murderer. 

Deegan stated that it was hard to get witnesses to a murder, as they often fear retaliation from armed and dangerous criminals, so cameras play an important role in homicide investigations. 

“Cameras are the detectives’ eyes on the street,” Deegan said. 

Cameras played an important role in identifying the two suspects in the recent murder of Billy Schmidt in South Philly. 

Cameras also aid the police in lesser crimes such as theft from autos and vandalism. Although these and other lesser crimes are far less serious than murder, these quality-of-life crimes infuriate residents.   

Which brings me to the Philadelphia Police Department’s SafeCam Program. 

“SafeCam is one of the Philadelphia Police Department's contemporary crime prevention and investigation tools that demonstrate the effectiveness of partnerships between police and the community,” the Philadelphia Police state on their website. “Registering your camera not only helps deter crime but assists the Department in its overall crime prevention strategy in your neighborhood. Protect yourself, your family and your community by registering with SafeCam.”

According to the Philadelphia Police registration is simple and only takes about 10 minutes to complete.

 

“You will provide basic information and tell us where your cameras are located. There is no cost associated with registration and your information is confidential. You may delete your registration at any time. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email at the address you provided. This email serves as proof of your registration and can be printed or forwarded as needed. Keep it for your records in case you need to reference your registration in the future. You will only be contacted by the Philadelphia Police Department in the future if there is a criminal incident in the vicinity of your security camera. Police personnel, if necessary, may request a copy of any video captured by your camera, which may assist in the investigation of a crime.”

 

You can register via the link below:

 

Safecam Registration | Philadelphia Police Department (PPD)

 

The Philadelphia Police state that the goal of the SafeCam program is to deter crime and promote public safety through partnerships and collaboration between the Philadelphia Police Department and the communities they serve. SafeCam helps the police identify potential cameras in the community that could help with an investigation if a crime or incident occurs in the vicinity. SafeCam is strictly a registration program.

By registering your cameras, you agree to the following terms and conditions: 

1.     Philadelphia Police Department may contact you directly, using the information you have provided, to request appropriate surveillance footage as it relates to a crime or incident that may have occurred near your property. 

2.     Any footage containing or related to criminal activity may be collected by the Philadelphia Police Department for use in an investigation or as evidence during any stage of a criminal proceeding. 

3.     Relevant information is reserved for official use by the Philadelphia Police Department and will not be released to any member of the general public or to the media. 

 

I spoke to a South Philly resident who has enrolled in the SafeCam Program.

 

“I installed a camera on my house for security and protection,” the man told me. “But if my camera captures a crime away from my property, then I believe it is my civic duty to help the police and my neighbors. So, I allow the police to have access to my camera for any crime that may happen near me.”

 

Paul Davis’s Crime Beat column appears here each week. He can be reached via pauldavisoncrime.com. 

My South Philly Review Crime Beat Column: Beware Of Porch Pirates

The South Philly Review published my Crime Beat column on porch pirates. 

You can read the column above or the text below: 

Beware of Porch Pirates

 By Paul Davis

 View any social media outlet, such as Facebook’s “Stand Up South Philly and Take Back Our Streets,” and you will see numerous posts from outraged South Philadelphians who have been the victim of “porch pirates.” 

You can view doorbell and other security cameras as they capture the porch pirates in action, lifting a package sneakily from a home’s porch or front step and scurrying away like a rat with a piece of pizza. 

This all-too-frequent occurrence truly upsets the victims. Some victims have told me that they feel violated. Although the theft occurred outside of their home, it was still on their property, so it was as if a thief broke into their home.

“Just wanted to give everyone around Porter St a heads up because this is getting ridiculous,” one victim wrote in a social media post. “A man has now stolen our dog’s Chewy package off our front door TWICE. The first time, we had to get a replacement sent out, and now the same guy came back and stole the replacement too. We have video of him, and I just wanted to put this out there so people in the neighborhood can be aware and keep an eye on their packages. It’s frustrating enough having your packages stolen once, but TWICE?! Just be careful if you live around the area and are expecting deliveries. Keep an eye out for each other because apparently we have to worry about people stealing dog packages now too.”

Another victim offered a security camera photo of a porch pirate stealing. “This woman came right up on my step and stole my Instacart order yesterday!! Anyone know her?”

Yet another victim wrote, “How low can you be this woman stole my plants in the afternoon yesterday and came back at 1030 and night to get the rest of them.”

And one angry and frustrated victim offered a photo of suspected porch pirates and stated, “Every damn day with these packages’ thieves. Show up at 7am and back again when mail gets delivered in the afternoon. Taller one always on a bike. That’s them hiding their stolen goods in someone’s trash can until their done making their rounds.” 

I too was a victim. Some time ago I ordered online an unassembled wood bookcase and when I had not received it after a time, I complained to the store about not receiving the bookcase. The store’s delivery service emailed a photo of the bookcase left on my porch. So it appeared that someone had taken the bookcase from my porch. Thankfully, the store sent a replacement package.

Security experts that I’ve spoken to say that there are preventative security measures one can take to avoid being a victim of porch pirates. For example, one can install a doorbell or some other type of security camera. Often, the sight of a camera discourages a potential thief.

But if the thief is brazen, desperate or stupid enough to steal under the watchful eye of a camera, the camera will capture the image of him/her, and one can report the theft to the police and provide the camera image.

Most security specialists suggest the installation of a doorbell camera as the doorbell camera is equipped with built-in motion detectors, which will alert your smart telephone when someone is at your door when you are not home. Doorbell cameras are also equipped with night vision, which will enable one to see someone in the dark night. Motion detector lights can also discourage a would-be-porch pirate.

One can also often choose to ask the delivery service for a signature required. But the downside of this is one then has to go and collect the package.

As I noted here before, a dog is perhaps the best security. If a would-be-porch pirate comes up on your porch or front step, the sight and sound of a dog (especially a large dog) that is barking furiously in the front window will often send the thief running away.

As my late friend Mark Tartaglia, a retired detective, often said, “Crooks hate dogs.”

Paul Davis’s Crime Beat column appears here each week. He can be reached via pauldavisoncrime.com.  

My South Philly Review Crime Beat Column On Elder Abuse

The South Philly Review published my Crime Beat column on elder abuse today.

You can read the column above, via the link below, or the following text:

Home - PA Times Media

This past June 15^th was designated World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, but awareness of elder abuse should be an everyday concern.

Over my years of covering the crime beat, I’ve met victims of elderly scams. Some are embarrassed and reluctant to discuss their being victimized. They don’t want to appear mentally feeble, especially in from of their grown children. But those who were willing to talk about being cheated were assured by detectives that scam artists were very good at fooling anyone, not just the elderly.        

Some seniors have been cheated out their life savings and others have had their identities stolen, which resulted in placing them in heavy debt. Adding to the financial loss, the scams also caused great physical stress, which endangered their health and wellbeing.

And, sadly, not all scammers are strangers on the phone. I recall attending a preliminary hearing at the 3^rd Police District some years ago. An elderly man’s adult daughter and her husband stood accused of stealing the elderly man’s Social Security checks over a period of years. The father stood with his head down as if ashamed or saddened. And I’ve been told of cases in which an elderly mother or father was beaten routinely by their grown children.               

Last month, the FBI Philadelphia Field Office announced that June 15th was World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, a time to underscore the importance of protecting older adults from financial abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

“The FBI in Philadelphia is raising awareness to tactics most commonly used by scammers and red flags to look out for to avoid becoming a victim,” the FBI stated. “The abuse of older Americans can come in various forms, including physical, emotional, mental, or financial exploitation.”

According to the 2025 Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) Elder Fraud Report, the FBI received over 200,000 complaints from victims over the age of 60, totaling approximately $7.7 billion in losses.

The FBI pointed out that last year alone, Pennsylvania residents reported over 30,000 complaints to the FBI with estimated fraud losses of more than $537 million. In New Jersey, more than 20,000 complaints were received by the FBI totaling $660 million in losses. Phishing/spoofing, tech/customer support calls, and investment scams continue to dominate the Philadelphia threat landscape and drive victim losses into the billions.

“World Elder Abuse Awareness Day serves as an important reminder of the harm fraud and exploitation can cause to older Americans,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, the special agent in charge of FBI Philadelphia. “Scammers often create a false sense of urgency to steal personal information, money, or both. We encourage seniors and their loved ones to remain vigilant, verify unfamiliar requests, and report suspicious activity. Through education, outreach, and enforcement, FBI Philadelphia is committed to protecting our communities and the savings older Americans have worked a lifetime to build.”

The FBI passed on some ways to protect yourself and loved ones include:

• Recognize scam attempts and end all communication with the perpetrator. This includes the very simple step to hang up the phone!
• Resist the pressure to act quickly. Scammers thrive off of a sense of urgency to incite fear and lure victims into immediate action.
• Be cautious of unsolicited phone calls, mailings, and door-to-door service offers.
• Never give or send any personal information, money, jewelry, gift cards, checks, or wire information to unverified people or businesses.
• Be careful of what you download. Never open an email attachment from someone you don’t know and be wary of email attachments forwarded to you.
• Make sure all computer anti-virus and security software and malware protections are up to date. Use reputable anti-virus software and firewalls.

The FBI in Philadelphia stated that they have victim specialists dedicated to ensuring victims have the resources and support they need while navigating the criminal justice process.

If you or someone you know may have been a victim of elder fraud, contact FBI Philadelphia at (215) 418-4000 or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. You can also file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.

Paul Davis’s Crime Beat column appears here each week. He can be reached via pauldavisoncrime.com. 

My South Philly Review Crime Beat Column On The Man Behind 'Stand Up South Philly And Take Our Streets Back'

Note: You can click on the above to enlarge. 

My South Philly Review Crime Beat Column: Burglary - The Silent Crime

The South Philly Review published my second weekly Crime Beat column, which covers crime news, crime issues and crime prevention in South Philadelphia. 

You can read the column via the above page or the below text:

Burglary: The Silent Crime

By Paul Davis

The 3^rd Police District sent me a burglary prevention poster that advised South Philly residents that hot weather leads to burglars breaking into homes and business via unsecure air condition units.

The poster notes that as the temperatures rise, many South Philly residents install window air conditioning units.

“Criminals may target unsecure A/C units as an easy point of entry into homes and apartments,” the poster explained.

The poster advises people to secure all window A/C units with mounting brackets and screws. One should also install locks or security bars to prevent windows from being forced open.    

Good advice.

Burglary is defined in Robert Jay Nash’s “The Dictionary of Crime: Criminal Justice, Criminology & Law Enforcement” as illegally entering a building to commit a crime. To break into a premise and steal. Burglary is usually a felony.

Burglary is known as the “Silent Crime” as it is often committed stealthily under the cover of darkness or hidden from view. And the burglar usually slinks away like a rat before the burglary is discovered.   

I’ve discussed burglary with a good number of patrol officers, detectives and security specialists over my many years of covering the crime beat.

All have recommended that residents install an alarm system with cameras, and the placing of a sign in plain sight that states the residence is covered with an alarm system. And one should also install deadbolt locks on doors and good locks on all windows. One should additionally mark all valuables with a UV or indelible pen to help police identify and recover your property.

Burglars prefer to work under the cover of darkness and hate the light, so one should also install exterior lights for visibility. One should also let their immediate neighbors know when they will not be home and ask them to look out for suspicious people walking around the property.

Thankfully, in South Philly most neighbors traditionally and famously look out for one another, and they keep watch on their street.  

One detective told me that he has come across too many burglaries where the resident had an alarm system but chose not to turn it on.

“People get preoccupied with something else or they become complacent and don’t take the time to turn on their alarm systems,” the detective said. “What’s the point of having an alarm system if you don’t use it properly?

“But boy when they return home to see their place burglarized, they sure wish they had.”

The detective explained that there are three types of burglars. There are professional burglars, thieves and opportunists.

The professional uses sophisticated tools and targets rich homes and major businesses. The thieves target homes and businesses where there is cash, guns or jewelry on hand. The opportunists are teenagers and/or drug addicts who will break into a place to steal items quickly and clumsily.          

I’ve been out on numerous ride-alongs with Philadelphia police officers when they responded to burglaries.  

I recall how homeowners and apartment renters acted when they found their residence burglarized. The most common reaction initially was outrage that some burglar had entered their home and stole their valuables, some of which had sentimental value and were irreplaceable. 

The most common subsequent reaction was the feeling of being violated. To know that some stranger was in their home and rummaged through their private and personal belongings brought on a physical sickening feeling.  

I remember discussing burglary with former Philadelphia Detective Mark Tartaglia. The detective, like me, a born and bred South Philadelphian, happened to be my good friend for more than 30 years before he sadly passed away a few years ago.

“Burglars are creeps,” I recall Mark Tartaglia telling me. “They are sneak thieves who prowl around and look for weaknesses in the security of people’s homes.

“In the past, people were too trusting, or lacked a healthy fear of criminals, and they often left a window open or a door unlocked, which is an invitation for a burglar to step inside and loot the place. But things are changing. The burglars I’ve known say they fear the homeowner with a gun far more than a cop. They think they are more likely to be shot by the homeowner protecting their home.”

Mark Tartaglia recommended security alarms and locks and lights like other detectives, but he added one additional crime prevention tool.       

“Get a dog,” he said succinctly. “Burglars hate dogs.”

Paul Davis’s Crime Beat column appears here each week. He can be reached via pauldavisoncrime.com.