Vancouver police have arrested a man suspected of scamming, then robbing an 84-year-old man inside his own home.
John Edward Barker, 54, has been charged with possession of stolen property in connection to the incident, and police said they hope to obtain evidence to support the recommendation of additional charges.
Police said a man -- believed to be Barker -- knocked on the front door of a home on Vancouver’s West Side at roughly 3 p.m. on Jan. 15. He allegedly gave the homeowner a business card, told him he worked as a gardener in the area and asked to borrow $6.70 for bus fare because his car had been towed.
The victim gave the man $7 and told him there was no need to pay the money back.
The following day, the man returned to the home and asked for $40 for another car-related problem. The homeowner believed he was sincere and lent him the money.
On Jan. 17, Barker allegedly returned a third time, not to pay the victim back, but to ask for more money. When the homeowner said he had no money, Barker allegedly followed him inside, grabbed his wallet, and fled.
The struggle over the wallet resulted in cuts and bruises to the man’s hand and torso, as well as a shattered mirror and a broken doorknob in the house, police said.
Barker has been released from custody and is expected to appear in Vancouver Provincial Court on March 26.
