96-year-old Sonoma Valley woman victim of elder abuse, burglary

Sonoma County sheriff’s deputies arrested three men on suspicion of distracting a 96-year-old Sonoma Valley woman and robbing her of a small safe and jewelry, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

The victim heard knock on her door on Highway 12 in Boyes Hot Springs around 3:15 p.m. and found a man asking her if she’d be interested in having her trees trimmed, the Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.

The elderly woman and the man went into her backyard to discuss what needed to be done to the trees, the Sheriff’s Office said. While outside, two other men allegedly entered the house and stole a small safe and stuffed a pillow case full of jewelry and other valuables, the Sheriff’s Office said.

When the man left about 15 minutes later, the woman was unaware that she had been the victim of a burglary.

An employee of a nearby business saw the men leaving the home with a bag and safe in their hands and called the police, giving a description of their car, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Deputies located Tarzan Miller, 34, and Tommy Mitchell, 27, both of Richmond and Richard Mitchell, 48, of North Highlands near Sacramento in a car near Broadway and West Napa Street in Sonoma shortly after.

The three men were arrested and booked in Sonoma County Jail on suspicion burglary, possession of stolen property, elder abuse and conspiracy. They are being held in lieu of $100,000 bond, the Sheriff’s Office said.

You can reach Staff Writer Nick Rahaim at 707-521-5203 or nick.rahaim@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @nrahaim.