Possible Daytime Burglar Knocks 76-Year-Old Woman Unconscious at Her Home
TOWN OF SPRING GROVE (CHANNEL 3000). -A stranger entered a Green County woman's home and knocked her unconscious Monday afternoon, officials said.
The Green County Sheriff's Office said deputies responded to a report of an assault on the 1800 block of Stateline Road in Spring Grove at 4:38 PM.
A 76-year-old woman reported that she had been accosted by a stranger, who came to her home under the pretense of purchasing her barn.
According to the report, a man knocked at the unlocked door before entering the home of his own accord. He engaged the woman in a conversation about the barn, but then knocked her to the floor before fleeing in a red car. The sheriff's office said she briefly lost consciousness and suffered a laceration and a minor head injury.
The assailant was a stranger to the victim. The report described him as white, in his mid-20s, about 5 feet 9 inches tall. He had a stocky build, dark hair and a beard. He appeared well groomed and wore a baseball cap.
The sheriff’s office said the assailant might have been attempting to commit a daytime burglary when he unexpectedly encountered the woman.
Green County sheriff's officials said a common tactic used by such criminals is to approach a residence that appears to be unoccupied and knock at the door. If the knock is unanswered, it is presumed the owners are away and the criminal enters to commit a burglary. Should a resident answer the door, the would-be burglar will typically ask for directions and leave without arousing suspicion.
"The purpose of this special release is to inform the public to take precautions in the event the perpetrator persists in this activity," the sheriff's office said in a news release Tuesday afternoon.
Officials asked anyone with information about the Stateline Road incident to call the Green County Sheriff’s Office Detective Bureau at 608-328-9400, contact Green County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-422-7463, or text “GREENTIP” plus your message to 274637.