Elderly woman alleges scam artists stole her wedding ring

A South Florida senior citizen is still reeling one day after, she said, two men posing as government workers talked her into letting them inside her home and then stole her most valuable possession.
For the first time in more than six decades, Miami resident Marta Bequer isn't wearing her 2.5-carat wedding ring. "For so many years, I have had it. For so many years, more than 60," she said.
Bequer said the piece of jewelry has a significant sentimental value. "My husband has been dead for 30 years now, and I never took it off," she said.
The 84-year-old, however, took it off Saturday under the orders of two men captured on surveillance video entering her home. She said the subjects are scam artists claiming to be with the City of Miami, and they told her they needed to check on her water. "[They said] that the water was contaminated with acid and that it was very dangerous," said Bequer. "[One of them said] he already had to send three people, two or three old people, to the hospital."
Bequer said she let them inside the home around 3 p.m. to check on the water. The men, she said, continued to instill fear, eventually urging her to take off her rings and place them in a Styrofoam cup. "[They said], 'You have to take off your rings, because when the water touches the metal, it will burn you up. You will bleed to death,'" she said. "At that point, I became very much scared, because I'm taking blood thinner, because I've had heart surgery twice."
The men then asked Bequer to wash her hands in the bathroom, and before she knew it, they quickly walked out of the home. "It was all a bunch of lies, and they made me very much scared, you know," she said.
Bequer said she hopes that Miami Police, aided by the surveillance video, will be able to find these impostors. "I hope, I really hope that they find these guys so they won't do the same thing to other people," she said. "I don't know what to say. At this point, I'm very distressed."
Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department officials told 7News it is very rare for employees to show up to go inside people's homes, adding that thieves targeted another elderly resident in March.
Officials said employees will always have proper ID and will always be in a marked vehicle. If a homeowner is ever concerned about their validity, they may call 311 to verify.

If you have any information on these suspects' whereabouts, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward.