Clever Criminals

Con artists swindle more than $10,000 from NorthPark Center shopper

Dallas police are asking the public for help in identifying a Hispanic couple that scammed a woman out of more than $10,000 at NorthPark Center recently. Virginia Rodriguez, 65, told police that a couple approached her on April 24 about sharing in an $11 million lottery win.

In order to partake in the winnings, the couple initially asked Rodriguez for $35,000 in cash. When she said she didn't have that much money, they suggested she use her credit card to purchase items of an equivalent value.

The con artists accompanied Rodriguez on a shopping spree at NorthPark Center. She purchased expensive Louis Vuitton handbags and fine jewelry totaling more than $10,000. A surveillance camera at Ben Bridge Jewelers shows Rodriguez and a male suspect buying a $3,000 TAG watch.

Anyone who knows the identity of these two suspects is asked to contact Det. Cervantes with the Dallas Police Department's Property Crimes at 214-671-3544.

E-Cigarette News

Dallas City Council places restrictions on vaping in public

Man vaping, e-cigarette

Unsplash

Man vaping

Vaping will now be banned exactly like smoking, thanks to a new ordinance from the Dallas City Council.

At their December 11 meeting, the council passed an ordinance to ban vaping in all the same areas where smoking is not allowed. It'll go into effect on December 11, 2025 — giving everyone a year to get into compliance.

Proposed by City of Dallas Environmental Commission (EVC) and the Office of Environmental Quality and Sustainability (OEQS), the ordinance amends the definition of “smoking” in the Dallas City Code to include the use of vaping devices.

The ordinance does not ban vaping — it only bans where you can vape: no vaping in all indoor and enclosed spaces; within 15 feet of building entrances; and on park property. The ordinance also bans marijuana smoking in those same places.

In addition, the amendment requires restaurants, hotels, fitness centers and other businesses to update their signage to clearly state that both smoking and electronic smoking devices are prohibited.

The ordinance already earned widespread support from health organizations such as the Dallas County Health and Human Services, the American Lung Association, and the American Heart Association. These organizations, along with the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Surgeon General, have all raised concerns about the health risks of direct and second-hand exposure to vaping aerosols, particularly for vulnerable populations such as children and older adults.

Dallas is not the first city to impose such a ban: San Antonio enacted a similar ban in October. Theirs goes into effect on January 1, 2025.

Loading...