It was Tuesday afternoon when a man knocked on his front door claiming to be a water department worker.
"I said nothing's wrong with the water and what the heck do you want here," Porreca said.
Porreca says the thief first went into his kitchen and turned on the water. He began to suspect something wasn't right.
"I said you better get out of here and I went to go get the baseball bat," Porreca said.
Porreca heard footsteps upstairs, but the con-artist claimed they were from next door.
The criminal then said he had to check the basement and, seconds later, Porreca heard a loud bang.
The suspect acted like he fell down, according to Porreca.
"[He said] help me, and me not thinking, I help. That's when he pulls me down," Porreca said.
The thief threw Porreca to the ground and robbed him of his cash.
Porreca tried to put up a fight, but he simply couldn't.
"I'm 90-years-old, how could I fight him? I had a baseball bat, but he took it away from me," Porreca said.
Philadelphia police say the suspects are preying on the elderly and they may be gypsies passing through the area.
Shortly before Porreca was robbed, an 82-year-old neighbor, Catherine Nataro, received a knock on her door and a man was there.
"He says that we struck a water pipe; we have to come in and check your water pressure or turn the water off for 72 hours," Nataro said.
But Nataro refused to let the con-artist inside.
He persisted, but the 82-year-old held her ground.
She says the past week has been difficult.
"I've been crying...they could have killed me," Nataro said.
Police are warning people about the scam and want everyone to be alert.
If someone shows up at your door unannounced claiming to be a utility worker, call your utility company and ask a rep if someone has been scheduled to show up at the house.
