Men Posing As Utility Workers Enter South Brunswick Woman's Home

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — An 84-year-old woman who lives off Rt. 27 in the Charleston Place apartments may have been robbed Saturday afternoon by two men pretending to be with the water company, South Brunswick police said.

The elderly woman called 911 after it happened this past Saturday, Nov. 10. She said at 12 p.m. that day two individuals knocked on her front door and claimed to be from the water department.

They told her they needed to perform a water test and entered her apartment. After walking through the home for 10-15 minutes, they left. It is still being determined if any items are missing.

Maintenance at Charleston Place, which is a low-income HUD housing development off Rt. 27, confirmed to police that there was no scheduled work to be done by the water company.

The first suspect is described as a white male who appeared to be 20-30 years old, wearing a dark blue shirt and jeans. The second suspect is described as a black male who appeared to be 20-30 years old, wearing a dark blue shirt and jeans. The suspects were wearing lanyards with credentials when the incident occurred.

Distraction burglars normally work in pairs, South Brunswick police said. Their aim is to distract you and trick their way into your home or lure you out of your home to steal your money or valuables. They may knock at your door posing as employees from your gas, water, electric, phone or TV companies. They may be very convincing, charming and persuasive. They can be young, old, male or female, or even young children.

They can appear official and may be dressed with uniforms, official looking paperwork, and fake IDs. Elderly and vulnerable people, who tend to be more trusting, are the main target of these criminals, and the consequences can be devastating for the victim and their families.

Please be aware that most utility companies no longer show up unannounced; therefore if someone claims to be from one of these companies and they are genuine, they will have made a prior appointment.

The common utility companies in our area are: JCP&L, PSE&G, Verizon, and Comcast. You may utilize a different power, fuel or cable company, so be familiar with their logos and question anyone from another agency or utility that you aren’t expecting.

Also:

• Encourage older people to get into the habit of always locking their doors and by using a door chain or spy-hole;
• Telephone a neighbor, or a nearby friend, and ask them to come along to help check out the caller before you open the door to them;
• Insist on checking the identity of the caller. If they are genuine, they will not mind waiting or returning later. Do not use any telephone numbers provided by the caller as the number may be one of their associates;
• Don’t keep large quantities of cash at home; put it in the bank where it is safe;
• Remember, it is not rude to refuse letting a stranger into your home.
• Call the South Brunswick Police and request an officer to come and verify the identity of the individual(s).
• If possible, try to note the description of the individual(s) and any vehicle but only if you feel safe doing so.

Pictured: The exterior of the Charleston Place complex off Rt. 27 via Google Earth.