All over
South Florida, seniors are banding together to protect their own.
Florida now has a growing army of “Senior Sleuths” dedicated to catching people who commit
crimes against the elderly. These retirees and other silver-haired volunteers do everything from spend their time on the phone while in bed to conducting undercover investigations.
Seniors vs. Crime
The Seniors vs. Crimes project is expanding in
South Florida with thousands of volunteers who investigate complaints from elderly consumers, according to the Palm Beach Post. These complaints can range from a roofer taking a deposit and disappearing, to
fraud, to phone companies neglected to repay customers they over-billed.
One great example of the Senior Sleuths taking down crime is when an 83-year-old man participated in an undercover operation in Tampa that eventually led to the
arrest of a water-purification system salesman. The salesman was charged with
grand theft. Last year, the Senior Sleuths recovered over $200,000 for
Palm Beach and
Broward County victims.
Recently, the effort of the Seniors vs. Crime project led to the
arrest of Robert Hoffman, the owner of a hurricane shutter company in Hallandale Beach. Hoffman’s company allegedly required customers to pay up to 80% of the cost upfront but never delivered in many cases. After the Senior Sleuths alerted the attorney general’s office, Broward Sheriff’s Office arrested Hoffman on charges of
fraud and unlicensed contracting.
Criminal Defense
Have you ever been charged with a
crime against an elderly person? If so, you are in for a long haul with the law unless you’ve consulted a
criminal defense lawyer. Crimes against the elderly are taken very seriously by the law because the elderly seem to get taken advantage of especially when it comes to money. Organizing a
scheme to defraud an elderly person can land you in jail for a long time. You would also have to pay restitution and additional fines and fees. A
criminal defense lawyer will ensure that you have a fair trial and that your case is represented honestly and effectively.