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Special Unit To Investigate Crimes Against Warren Seniors

WARREN (WWJ/AP) - Mayor James Fouts has ordered the creation of a special police unit to investigate crimes against senior citizens in the Detroit suburb of Warren.

Fouts also said in a release Monday that he wants police decoys operating in shopping centers.

He listed the Oct. 29 purse-snatching of an 80-year-old woman inside her garage, an Oct. 28 assault and purse-snatching in a driveway and the Oct. 26 purse-snatching from a 72-year-old woman outside her home as recent incidents in which seniors were targeted.

Cash, credit cards, a checkbook and a telephone were taken.

Fouts says seniors are being targeted at shopping centers or followed home.

Fouts called those attacking seniors "predators taking advantage of seniors."

"It's bad enough that the seniors are being robbed but violent attacks make it despicable," said Fouts.

A program will be aired on the city's cable station to alert seniors about situations that could lead to attacks.

"In response to these horrendous crimes on elderly Warren women I'm directing the Warren Police Department to establish a senior crime unit to thoroughly investigate all violent crimes against seniors and place police decoys under the departments special operations unit in selected shopping centers," Fouts said, in a message posted Monday to his Facebook page.

"I also have met with the Police Commissioner in his office today about several other initiatives I want to put forth during the holiday season and beyond," he added.

"I'm disgusted and sickened by what this hard-core prison felon did to innocent elderly people! I want to do everything I can to prevent this sickening activity in the future. And state officials need to more closely scrutinize who is let out of our prisons! This criminal should never have been let out! This investigation is not done and there likely will be additional arrests."

TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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