CENTER TWP — A 95-year-old man has been identified as the latest victim in a string of distraction-type home burglaries in the Butler County and surrounding areas.

The unknown tandem of burglars made off with $200 and the victim's 77-year-old high school class ring that were taken from his home on North Benbrook Road in Center Township, state police said.

Investigators don't know if the May 6 break-in is connected to several others reported in Armstrong and Mercer counties but they admit the similarities are obvious.

“It's the same ruse,” said Trooper Cody Spangler of the Butler barracks, who is investigating last week's burglary in the county. “It's the same concept all the time.”

One of the common themes in the crimes, police said, is the crooks' target — the elderly.

The 95-year old Center Township victim told police that he was in the attached garage at his home about 1 p.m. when a man wearing dark clothing and a ball cap appeared, claiming to be from a cable Internet company.

He drove there in a dark-colored, older model sedan.

The suspect, who was described as white and in his 50s, with a medium build, short black hair and a 5 o'clock shadow of white facial hair, lured the homeowner outside toward the back of the house.

“He told the victim he wanted to show him where (the company) was going to place posts at the end of his lawn,” Spangler said. The suspect purported the company was offering to pay $50 per post.

Investigators believe that while the suspect kept the victim's attention away from the home for 15 to 20 minutes, his unseen accomplice slipped into the house through the open garage.

The homeowner, once back in his home, did not immediately find any sign of a burglary.

“Everything was left neat and tidy,” Spangler said.

But the victim a day or two later picked up a Butler Eagle and happened to read a story about the series of distraction burglaries in the area.

”That's when he started looking around and discovered what happened.” Spangler said. Missing were two 100-dollar bills and a 1938 Winfield High School class ring.

He told family members what happened but did not notify police, at first.

“He felt he got had,” Spangler said. “He was embarrassed.”

Relatives eventually convinced the man to report the burglary. He contacted police Tuesday.

Police canvassed the neighborhood but no one recalled seeing anything suspicious. There are no suspects.

Troopers, meanwhile, continue to investigate at least three other similar burglaries, including two last week in East Franklin Township, Armstrong County, and another in Perry Township, Mercer County.