Police: Suspects Posed as Town Workers in Two Attempted Break-ins

Two men posting as town workers attempted to break into two homes in Needham last week, a Needham Police official said Monday.

The is investigating two cases of attempted larceny that occurred on June 6 between 3 and 3:30 p.m.

"Two white males posing as town of Needham employees tried to gain access to a home on St. Mary Street and a home on Greendale Avenue," Baker said in a press release. "There is no sign of anything missing out of either home."

At the St. Mary Street home, one of the suspects "lured the homeowner out of the home while the other entered the home," but the individual was scared off by a resident who was still in the house, according to Baker.

"The two men were seen fleeing toward a bright blue SUV," he said.

In the Greendale Avenue incident, one of the suspects was wearing a shirt with "Water Department" written on it. The individual knocked on the door and said that there was a problem with the resident's water, according to Baker.

"He raced around the home turning on faucets, attempting to get out of their sight, to no avail. He then asked for cash, but the homeowner did not give him any," Baker said.

Needham Police want to make residents aware of this type of scam and offer the following tips:

• Town of Needham Water Department employees do not enter homes except by appointment.
• Appointments are not made after 2 p.m.
• Employees are issued Town of Needham ID badges.
• Employees drive "Town of Needham"-marked vehicles

"Residents should not let anyone in the home unless they are expecting them or they have proper credentials," Baker said. "If you have any suspicions or feel pressured, please call the Needham Police Department immediately."

Needham Police can be reached at 781-455-7570 or at 9-1-1 in an emergency.

A similar incident recently occurred in Shrewsbury. In that case, which was reported on Thursday, June 7, two men were who identified themselves as water department employees were able to gain access to an elderly couple's home and made off with some cash and jewelry, .

The individuals a white man in his late 30s or early 40s and a white man in his late 40s or early 50s. The men reportedly fled the area in a dark blue sedan.