News Poll
 
Do you trust the current members of the City Council to do what's best for Gilroy?
Yes
No
Past Polls
   Top News
 
   Opinion
 

 High-speed rail – so many questions, so few answers
Nov 19, 2009
 
 Letters: Tax and divert, spend and lie – when will voters scream 'Enough!'
Nov 19, 2009
 
  More Opinion...
   

NEWS > CRIME, FIRE AND COURTS


Hollister woman concocts home invasion story after being scammed
Jul 1, 2009
 By Kollin Kosmicki

This is the home on the 800 block of Fourth Street in Hollister where the resident claimed she had been robbed at gunpoint.
Photo by: Nick Lovejoy, Staff Photographer
It turns out a resident who claimed to police she had been robbed at gunpoint Tuesday made up the story because she feared repercussions after handing over money to scam artists, a Hollister police captain said today.

The woman Tuesday morning reported that an unknown male and female forced their way into a residence on the 800 block of Fourth Street after brandishing a gun and that they stole money and jewelry before escaping.

She has confessed to police, however, that she had willfully given money to a man and woman after taking them to her bank and retrieving it for them, Capt. Carlos Reynoso said.

"What we're hearing now is that the whole thing about guns and being a home invasion was a story she made up to cover up the fact that she might have fallen for one of these lottery scams," Reynoso said.

Reynoso explained that the woman met the two apparent scam artists "someplace else" before withdrawing the money. Police have not released the amount, but they plan to pass on that and other details in a press release shortly, Reynoso said.

"It could happen to anybody," he said. "These people are con artists. They are very convincing."

Police likely will not arrest the woman for making up the story to police, leaving it up to prosecutors to decide on possible charges when they receive a report on the incident, he said.

"Even though we don't make an arrest, it doesn't mean she doesn't face charges," Reynoso said.

As for the story to police, Reynoso said she "obviously committed a crime by making a false police report."

She reported to police - some officers had rifles drawn when they arrived - that the duo came to the residence Tuesday morning, knocked on the door and talked to the resident about buying Bibles. The homeowner reported to police she told them she wasn't interested, and that one of the two pulled out a handgun and demanded to come inside. Once inside, she had claimed the duo demanded cash and jewelry from the resident, police reported. She even described them as fleeing in a silver blue or silver green full-sized van.


Kollin Kosmicki
Kollin Kosmicki is an editor for South Valley Newspapers. Reach him at 831-637-5566 ext. 337 or editor@freelancenews.com.

POST A COMMENT

If you are under 13 years of age you may read this message board, but you may not participate. Here are the full legal terms you agree to by using this comment form.

blog comments powered by Disqus

Add to Google Add to My Yahoo!  Email This Article  Print
 News: Crime, Fire and Courts
Man pleads guilty to stabbing roommate below eye
3:25 PM
 
Ex-San Benito deputy faces minimum of 60 years in state prison
3:23 PM
 
Updated: 13-year-old raped, transients charged
Nov 19, 2009
 
Kidnap victim's mother calls for punishment of lying girl
Nov 19, 2009
 
 News: Schools
Convert South Valley and Brownell to charter schools?
3:00 PM
 
District: leverage stimulus funds to reduce special education budget
2:58 PM
 
Parents want El Roble gates locked after finding condoms, weapons on campus
11:51 AM
 
$4.6 million for GUSD from the feds
Nov 19, 2009
 
 News: Community
Salad fixins
Nov 19, 2009
 
Local media center wins regional awards
Nov 17, 2009
 
Gilroy's Army of altruists
Nov 16, 2009
 
Saint Louise limits visitor age in response to H1N1
Nov 13, 2009
 
More Crime, Fire and Courts... More Schools... More Community...


 Obituaries

 Florence Jex Bowen
8/16/1909 - 11/8/2009

 Jack E Rocca
7/10/1917 - 11/14/2009

 Raymond Bustinza
9/9/1951 - 11/14/2009

 Raymond Ybarra Soto
4/28/1934 - 11/5/2009

 Elizabeth Sydney Pearson
12/26/1944 - 11/15/2009

 Frank Pancho Escudero
6/22/1942 - 10/30/2009

 Russell Rossi
4/21/1946 - 11/6/2009

 William (Bill) Sandoe Hanna, Jr.
2/23/1935 - 11/1/2009

 Larry Armel Graves
1/1/1946 - 11/9/2009

 Photos
News
     
Sports
     
Special Events
     
Full Pages
     
 Videos
Highlights from the 53rd annual Prune Bowl
Nov 17, 2009
 
Inside the pot shop
Nov 13, 2009
 
Care for some worm soup?
Nov 3, 2009
 
Dedicating a school to a dedicated man
Nov 3, 2009
 
 GilroyTV
 Most Wanted
 
More Obituaries... More Photos... More Videos...
Advertise | Contact Us | Subscriber Center | RSS Feed
Copyright © 2009 | MainStreet Media Group | All rights reserved.