(COLUMBUS TOWNSHIP) — Men posing as tree trimmers robbed an 81-year old St. Clair County man at his residence Tuesday. Sheriff’s deputies say the three men came to his house in the 8000 block of Rattle Run Road in Columbus Township in a purple PT Cruiser. The three suspects told the man they were there to trim trees on his property and if the job wasn’t done, he would be fined by the state. The man invited one of the suspects into his house so he could hear him better. A second suspect went into the house as the first lead the homeowner into the living room to point out trees that needed to be trimmed. When the homeowner said he didn’t want the work done, the suspects left the residence. The three white men were described to be in their late 30’s or early 40’s. Deputies say the 81-year old man was robbed of an undisclosed amount of money. Sheriff Tim Donnellon says this is a very disturbing incident and another case of criminals preying on the elderly.
