New Scam Victimizes Elderly Homeowners

Crimes that are reported in one community often spread quickly to other towns, either by the criminals moving around or by the crooks learning similar techniques.

Here’s a scam that happened in Burlingame. It’s a good time to warn your elderly family members and neighbors to not open the door to strangers. Here’s the alert from Burlingame--

Water Department Scam:

The Burlingame Police Department is warning residents of two recent scams incidents where males claimed to be water department employees. The first incident occurred on 08/25/14 at approximately 10:00 AM in the 1600 block of Albemarle Way in Burlingame. During this incident, an elderly female resident answered a knock at her door and was contacted by a male. The suspect told the elderly woman he worked for the water department and needed to check her water flow. The victim let the man into her home and showed him all of her interior faucets. The male said the water smelled bad and told her to go to the backyard to turn on the water. The elderly victim left the male inside her house. When she re-entered her house from the backyard, the male was not inside and money and jewelry were missing.

The male was described as either a Hispanic or African American male, approx 35-40 years old, 5-10, average build with a rounded face, clean shaven, short brown hair, brown eyes, wearing a long-sleeve grey shirt or sweater, and dark pants. The victim said the man was neatly dressed, polite, soft-spoken, and had no accent.

On 08/27/14, a similar incident occurred in the 1200 Block of Vancouver Ave. The suspect description is similar and it is unknown if it is connected with the burglary on Albemarle way.

Please Follow These Simple Crime Prevention Tips:

1) NEVER let any strangers into your home. If a stranger comes to your door, talk to him or her from behind a closed and locked door. A peephole in the door provides the resident an opportunity to see who is outside prior to engaging in conversation with a stranger.

2) ALWAYS ask for identification from utility workers who need to enter your home. If you are not aware of a problem, or you are not comfortable with the identification the worker has presented, have him or her wait outside your home, and contact the company or police department.

3) If you have any doubts whatsoever about a service person having a legitimate need to come into your home, DO NOT LET HIM OR HER INTO YOUR HOME. Call police to investigate the incident in a expedient manner.

4) If someone approaches you offering to conduct unsolicited home repairs, do not let them into your home. Call the police department so the police can determine the identification of the subjects, and ascertain if they are attempting to commit a crime.

5) Always lock windows and doors, including when you are out doing yard work.

6) If you or someone you know is the victim of a crime, report it immediately so police can do the necessary investigation in an effort to prevent further residents from being victimized. When in doubt, err on the side of caution! Call the police!