Prank caller playing cruel joke on widows, say Pittsburgh-area police

(CBS) GREENSBURG, Pa. - Investigators in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area are investigating after two recently widowed women were the victims of a scary prank phone call, CBS Pittsburgh reports.

Police in Greensburg say they believe the caller is using husbands' obituaries to find the women, then playing his cruel joke.

One victim lives at the Redstone Highlands Retirement Home in Greensburg and the other lives in a private residence. Police say the caller tells his targets that he had a loved one tied up in a nearby room.

"Nothing leads us to believe that anybody is in any danger," said Lt. Doug Marcoz, of the Greensburg Police Department. "We do believe that it is pranks," he told CBS Pittsburgh.

There have been two incidents in Greensburg, but police are concerned there could be more.

"Pathetic would be a good word and very disheartening as a family member to have to take a telephone call from somebody like that, especially when it would involve another loved one," Lt. Marcoz said.

Greensburg police want the public to be aware of what they are calling a despicable crime, and that if they get a similar call, they should call 911 immediately.

Police also want the caller to know - to them, this is not a joke.

"We're going to do everything we can to track them down and we'll prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law," Lt. Marcoz added.