Law enforcement officers say the recent arrest of three people points to the need for more safety awareness among seniors.

Sandra Carol Hjort, 31, of 2039 Russellville Road, and Dewayne Junior Adkins, 27, of 40 Sunny Lane were charged with two counts of theft by unlawful taking over $300 and two counts of second-degree burglary July 15. Lucrece Michele Tabor, 34, of Scottsville was charged with one count of theft by unlawful taking over $300, according to the Bowling Green Police Department.

The three are accused of pulling a scam on seniors, according to Officer Jerry Corbitt, public information officer for the department. They would claim to need to use the bathroom or phone and while one distracted the residents, the others would rummage through the house to steal things, according to police.

In one instance, two women, later identified as Tabor and Hjort, came to a home of a 92-year-old woman July 14 and asked to use the phone, according to police. Adkins asked to use the bathroom, the report said .

After the three left the house, a wallet, cash, personal identification, a checkbook and change were found stolen, according to the report.

Another more recent incident occurred when the three were accused of taking $400 cash from a 77-year-old woman in the 200 block of Carpenter Court, according to an arrest citation.

Hjort admitted the three stole the money for crack, according to the citation.

&#8220Don’t let anybody come in your house you don’t know,” Corbitt said. &#8220It’s human nature to want to help.”

If someone comes to a house, the resident should tell them to call police for assistance or offer to call the police for them, he said. Residents should always remain inside their home.

Corbitt said this isn’t the first time such tactics were used to take advantage of elderly residents.

The three people involved were believed to have done the same thing two or three times in the week before their arrest, he said.

While the Warren County Sheriff’s Department hasn’t seen much criminal activity focused on senior citizens, it, too, believes it’s important to be alert.

&#8220Don’t let any (strangers) in your house for any reason,” Deputy Daniel Alexander said.

If a resident wants to help, ask the person for a phone number to call, but don’t open the door for them, Alexander said. This way the resident doesn’t put themselves at risk.

Seniors can also help protect themselves by not providing any personal information to anyone who comes to the door and keeping sheds and garages locked, he said.

People need to use common sense and be cautious, Alexander said.