Con who targets elderly sought

6/20/2001

More than a year after Dominic Delucia was sentenced for conning an 86-year-old man out of $833, he is accused of telling a sob story about a broken-down car and bilking another elderly resident of $20.

Toledo police are looking for Delucia, 44, of 2841 Terrace Downs St., and have filed warrants charging him with theft from the elderly.

Knowing his past and current practices of asking for rides and scamming for money, Detective Victoria Woodard warns citizens to watch out for him.

“Please don't let this man get into your car or he'll hit you with one of his stories,” she said yesterday.

The recent victim, a 71-year-old man from South Toledo, was taken after Delucia asked him for a ride on June 12 as he was leaving Kahler Pharmacy, 1941 Airport Hwy. Delucia said his car needed a part.

He asked the victim to take him to a house in the 3100 block of Strathmoor Avenue, which the victim did. The victim didn't see Delucia enter the house - which Delucia lied about and said belonged to his grandmother - but he returned with $30 and said he needed $9 more for the repairs. The victim gave him $20. Delucia promised to return the money, but didn't.

The detective said the elderly woman who lives at the Strathmoor house that Delucia visited has been bilked out of $6,000 by him. The woman does not want to prosecute.

Police said Delucia is targeting the elderly and foreign students at the University of Toledo by spinning tales of woe about broken-down cars and unpaid veterinarian bills.