Santa Barbara grandparents’ retirement savings stolen
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - A Santa Barbara family is asking for help identifying the people who stole their grandparents' retirement savings.
Rosa Valdez says she was ambushed on Thursday, February 16th, outside the Smart and Final off Gutierrez Street in Santa Barbara. Valdez says she went to the grocery store and while she was returning to her car, a man dressed in a white button-down shirt and a woman approached her. She says they asked her a couple questions before forcing her into the car and asking for her driver's license. Valdez gave them her driver's license which showed her home address. She says they then drove with her to her home.
Valdez says the woman took her into the house wearing gloves and started to ask, "Do you have gold?"
Valdez responded saying she didn't have any gold. That is when Valdez says the woman started rummaging through the house until she found a jewelry armoire. The woman told Valdez to unlock it. Valdez opened it and the pair got away with $65,000 in cash. The family says that was their grandparents' retirement money.
Santa Barbara Police Sergeant Ethan Ragsdale describes the man as an older Spanish-speaking white male with black hair, approximately 6 feet tall from Cuba. Police describe the woman as an older white Spanish-speaking female with brown hair, approximately 6 feet tall, from Costa Rica. Police describe the pair's car as grey in color with 4 doors. Police say this is an active investigation.
Briana Perez, Valdez's granddaughter, helped translate a conversation with Valdez and shared this advice that her grandpa told her grandma.
"Money comes and goes, and life is worth more. And she's very happy to have, to still have her family. And we're going to be here to support her."
Perez also wants to shed light on the fact this could happen to anyone's grandparent who keeps large sums of money in their home.
The family members have posted surveillance video and pictures they have gotten from Smart and Final to social media in hopes of finding the people involved. Santa Barbara Police have not released any photos or videos pertaining to this investigation.
The family also started a GoFundMe me to try to recoup the stolen 65 thousand dollars.
