Police believe crooks read the obituary section of the newspaper and broke into a family's Orange County home, while everyone was away during the funeral service.
"I was just so shocked that someone would be so cruel to come into a mourning house … and do that," victim Beverly Singer said.
Singer told NBC4 that the thieves stole electronics and invaluable family heirlooms from the Garden Grove home during the funeral of her husband, Melville Singer.
"My grandmother had some beautiful diamond rings," she said.
Singer is no stranger to elderly crimes, though.
The family was victimized before by a man named Robert Trinh, a contractor who convinced the Singers they needed nearly $50,000 worth of upgrades to their home and forged their signatures while Beverly's husband was sick in the hospital, police said.
"It was just totally bogus," her daughter Sandy Rosen said.
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Trinh, 32, of La Habra, has since been released on bail, police said. His contractor's license has been seized by the state, but authorities are still urging families to remain aware of Trinh and other contractors engaging in similar scams.
Anyone who has been victimized by Trinh should contact the Orange County District Attorney's Office.
Police said there were no leads on the "obituary burglary," and the family has vowed not to fall victim to criminals who prey on the elderly again.
"It's sad that people have to be so desperate to do these ugly things to hurt other people," Singer said.
