Would-Be Robbers Posing As Workers Target Elderly Couple
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FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) – It was a terrifying ordeal on Tuesday for 85-year-old Vladimir Chomiak and his 89-year-old wife Clara when two men showed up in their Fort Lauderdale backyard claiming to work for a power company.
"They said to me they will be cleaning it, cutting the branches that touch the power lines," said Vladimir.
Vladimir quickly found out they were lying when they followed him inside. While checking the power to the refrigerator, the home invaders discovered Clara in a bedroom.
"What is this? I said that's my closet. I opened the door. He push me in there and said, 'give me your money.' I said, 'I have no money and I started screaming,'" said Clara Anosh.
Clara is in a lot of pain, with bruises on her back and legs, after she was shoved to the ground.
"It happened so fast like a dream or in a movie. All of a sudden, he was talking nice, then he pushed and I fell. I started screaming," said Clara. "Punched me in my shoulder. I fell down. I have things on the floor in my closet. I fell and I hurt myself."
The couple believes they may have been targeted at a nearby store because of their age and then followed home.
CBS4's Ted Scouten asked, "When did you realize something doesn't seem right here?"
"I realized once they got home and I told them look I want to see your credentials," said Vladimir.
They've lived in their home for more than 40 years. Nothing like this has ever happened to them before. It has them shaken.
"What do you make of someone who would do this to an 85 and 89 year old? Bandit! Hoodlum! No good," said Vladimir. "You don't expect people to be evil. You expect everybody just like you are. It's not true. There are hoodlums. They are not good people."
It remains unclear if the men got away with anything.
