Berkeley Woman, 89, Targeted in Rooftop Raccoon Scam

Crew demanded $1,600 to fix a 'hole' they created on her roof after offering to remove a non-existent raccoon.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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An 89-year-old Berkeley woman was the victim of a rooftop raccoon scam, where a crew of three men offered to remove a raccoon from her roof for $60, but then claimed they had damaged the roof and demanded $1,600 to fix it. The woman gave them a down payment, but when the cost escalated, she told them to leave. The men fled, taking some of the woman's financial documents and $600 in cash.

Why it matters

This case highlights the vulnerability of elderly residents to scams and the need for greater awareness and protection against such predatory practices. The incident also raises concerns about home repair fraud and the importance of verifying the legitimacy of workers before allowing them access to one's home.

The details

The scam began when a young man in his 20s, wearing a tam o' shanter, knocked on the woman's door and claimed he had noticed a raccoon on her roof. He offered to remove and release the animal for $60, with part of the payment upfront. The woman agreed, and three men, all white with medium builds and wearing woolen gloves, arrived and put up a ladder. Two of the men sounded like they had Irish accents, while the third had no accent and appeared to be in his 30s. The men searched for a flashlight and asked the woman if she could hear the raccoons, but they never actually removed any animals. Instead, one of the men told the woman that they had removed some of her shingles, leaving a hole in the roof, and the cost to fix it would be $1,600. The woman refused to pay the additional amount and told the men to leave, at which point they fled the scene, leaving their ladder behind.

  • On Tuesday afternoon, the scam crew first approached the woman's home.

The players

Joan

An 89-year-old Berkeley resident who has lived on the block since 1974 and was the victim of the rooftop raccoon scam.

The Scam Crew

A group of three men, all white with medium builds, who approached the woman's home and carried out the rooftop raccoon scam.

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What they’re saying

“I did nothing but shake for two days," the woman told TBS. "It finally came to me: My trust had been violated.”

— Joan (The Berkeley Scanner)

What’s next

The case remains under investigation by the Berkeley Police Department.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the importance of being vigilant against home repair scams, especially when targeting elderly residents. It serves as a reminder to verify the legitimacy of any workers before allowing them access to one's home and to be wary of any high-pressure tactics or sudden changes in the scope and cost of a job.