LTC residents must be aware of identity thieves, burglars

Long-term care facilities are being targeted by a band of male thieves without identity verification who are dressed as female nurses, McKnight's reports. A 28-year old man was recently arrested in connection with the crimes, and authorities believe the thefts have been occurring since April at facilities across the United States, including locations in Louisiana, Georgia, Texas, Kansas and Alabama. Most recently, at least 20 separate LTC facilities in Colorado were hit. The burglars allegedly entered the homes dressed in drag, swiping food and credit cards after caregivers had left a room. The cards were found to have been used at department stores such as Wal Mart and Kmart, to charge an estimated $50,000 to $100,000. Stealing personal identifying information from LTC facility residents is a fairly common occurrence. WHTM-TV reports that a Delaware resident named Jacqueline Bozman was recently sentenced to six months in prison after it was learned that she stole "tens of thousands" of dollars from a woman who relied on her to manage her expenses.