Miramar police seek pair in lottery fraud

By Linda Trischitta, Staff Writer

3:52 a.m. EST, February 18, 2011

MIRAMAR —
Police are looking for a man and a woman who, officials say, approached a 70-year-old woman at Publix and told her they could not claim a winning lottery ticket because they are undocumented residents.

The Jan. 21 encounter that police say began in the supermarket at 6890 Miramar Parkway continued on a trip to a Best Buy store in Pembroke Pines.

The pair wanted the victim to prove she had good credit, Miramar police spokeswoman Tania Rues said.

Using her credit card, the elderly victim purchased laptops worth $3,500 for the duo before they drove her back to Publix, police said.

You can see the pair in a video supplied by police at SunSentinel.com.

Officials are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477. Callers can remain anonymous and tips leading to an arrest can result in a reward of up to $1,000.

www.sun-sentinel.com