Elderly woman robbed of necklaces in Reseda by drive-by thieves in minivan

RESEDA, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- An elderly woman said her jewelry was stolen from her neck by drive-by thieves last month in front of her home in Reseda.

76 year-old Vicki Huff told Eyewitness News she was watering her plants on Sep. 21 when a dark blue minivan pulled up to her home with 2 men and a woman.

Huff says the woman asked her for directions to the nearest church. The woman tried to give Huff $20 dollars in appreciation, to which Huff refused.

That is when the woman grabbed Huff's arm and placed a fake gold necklace around her neck while simultaneously stealing the gold necklaces Huff was wearing. Before Huff noticed, the thieves drove off.

"As soon as she did that, the man stopped talking to me, stepped on the gas and went on down the road and I was suspicious," Huff said.

Huff says her necklaces, a gold cross and a religious medal, held sentimental value for her and that she had never taken them off in over 30 years.

"It's a symbol of my faith to me, when I was baptized. It was a very personal thing for me to have and it breaks my heart, you know. It's sad," said Huff.

She has not been the only victim of this crime in the valley. Huff said she checked the Nextdoor app and saw another woman had also been robbed.

"Not just me, other people. One woman said that she was wearing a chain with her husband's baby ring on it and they stole that. You can't replace that kind of thing," said Huff.

Huff filed a police report but police told Eyewitness News no suspects have been arrested in connection to this theft and that they are not aware of a rash of such crimes.

"I just wanted to say be very careful, don't go close and certainly don't let them touch you," said Huff.