The Costa Rican Judicial Investigation Police (OIJ) is warning residents that robbers posing as flower vendors are going door to door in San José.

“Watch out for flowers,” states an OIJ press release. “The robbery division is warning citizens about this new modus operandi being used to rob homes in the metropolitan area.”

The fraudulent flower vendors, once a home owner opens their door, force themselves in, point guns at residents, gag them and rob them of all their valuables, the release states.

Home robbery chief Eddy Roda said there have been three recent cases of the flower scam but he warns there are many other scams as well, including fake DHL delivery men who have targeted Escazú homes.

“The fake flower vending is just one modus operandi,” he said. “There have been DHL, Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) scams, among others. People just have to stay on the alert, demand identification and not allow people into their homes to provide services they never requested in the first place.”

OIJ is specifically warning people to be on the lookout for a burgundy Nissan Sentra and a black Hyundai.