CPD teach seniors how to protect themselves

One of the most vulnerable populations in Calexico has recently become a target for criminals. Police said attacks on seniors can come in various forms.

Officer Ruben Lopez said, “We’ve been having a large amount of calls pertaining to kidnappings, where people call your residents and say, we’ve kidnapped a relative and we need X amount of money.”

After one local senior lost over $10,000 through identity theft, police are responding with a series of informative workshops.

“We’re trying to educate them. We’re trying to introduce them to some of the possibilities they might encounter,” Lopez said.

Police talked about safely using social media during Thursday’s workshop at El Quintero Senior Apartments in Calexico.

Sergeant Victor Legaspi said, “Especially if you put down, I’ll be in Italy for two weeks. Basically, you’re telling the burglars out there, you’re inviting them in to rob you. Don’t put everything on social media.”

Some seniors said they don’t know how to report a crime.

“We’re trying to inform them on some of the information that they’ll be asked and some of the important pertinent information that they need to relate to our dispatchers so police can properly respond,” Lopez said.

A senior said he had seen men going through discarded mail in the trash. So, police explained how to properly get rid of mail so their information could not be used against them.

“We don’t want our seniors to be a victim of that,” Legaspi said.

Calexico Police will continue reaching out to seniors and making safety presentations whenever it’s possible or are invited by groups of seniors.