Police looking for friendly burglars in Gwinnett County

Gwinnett County police are searching for two people they say are targeting elderly women.

Imigene Cowart is still recovering from her brush with one of them.

Police said a man came to her door in the Peachtree Coers area of Norcross on Saturday, claiming to be there to install a fence along a property line.

Immediately, Cowart said, she felt uneasy.

"Instead of picking up my keys, I picked up my pepper spray," she said.

As she was walked out back, police say another person walked right into her house and stole a gold watch that her mother had given her before she passed away.

They also stole silver place settings and several pieces of jewelry given to her by her late husband.

"Everything in the house, I feel like is dirty," she said.

Gwinnett County Police believe the two men approached one of Cowart's neighbors just a few days earlier.

"I opened up and he said, 'Hey!' real close in my face, 'Remember me?'" said Monika Stripling.

The man claimed that he used to deliver newspapers to her.

Stripling said the incident was bizarre and a little too friendly, and then he grabbed her.

Gwinnett County Police said the man was trying to get into her house.

Stripling acted quickly and managed to scare him away.

"I said, 'Don't talk so loud,' he said'Why?' I said, 'Because my husband is asleep in there,'" she said. "The minute I said that he was tued around and off."

Police said Stripling was able to get a good enough description for investigators to link the two incidents.

"It is very conceing. It seems like they're targeting elderly women in particular and trying to find people that are home alone," said Cpl. Jake Smith.

Now, police are asking anyone who may have been approached by the men, whose vehicle is describe as a copper- or champagne-colored Ford truck, to give them a call.

"I'm very anxious and I don't want them to do something like this to another human being," said Cowart.