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Women Impersonated Police Officers As They Burglarized Woman, 78, In Washington Heights, NYPD Says

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Police on Wednesday were searching for two women who allegedly impersonated police officers as they persuaded a 78-year-old woman to let them into her Washington Heights home and burglarized her.

Around 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 17, inside a building at 189th Street and Wadsworth Avenue, the two suspects knocked on the woman's front door and said they were police officers, police said.

The suspects, who were not in uniform but had shields around their necks, told the woman they were looking for someone who lived in the apartment, police said.

The woman said the person who were looking for was not home, but let them inside to search for themselves, police said.

The suspects searched the apartment and left, police said.

Afterward, the victim found that one of the suspects had taken $10,000 in cash from one of the bedrooms, police said.

The suspects fled west on 189th Street, police said.

The suspects were both described as Hispanic females between the ages of 18 and 25 with black hair.

One carried a black shoulder bag and was last seen wearing a white long sleeved shirt, blue jeans and black shoes, while the other was last seen wearing a white shirt, blue jeans and black shoes

Police have released a surveillance photo and video.

Washington Heights Police Impersonator Burglary Suspects
Police say these women impersonated police officers as they burglarized a 78-year-old woman in Washington Heights. (Credit: NYPD)

Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782), visit www.nypdcrimestoppers.com or text tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577

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