South Blooming Grove Home Burglary: Man Pretends to Be O&R Worker

PEARL RIVER, NY — Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc. today renewed its urgent call for customers to confirm — by requesting to see a Company identification card — whether the utility worker who comes to their door is a real O&R employee or a fake.

O&R’s advisory comes after a burglary was reported in South Blooming Grove.

The burglary victim told O&R that a man claiming to be an O&R employee knocked on the victim’s home’s back door at midafternoon on Oct. 26 and said that power would be shut off to the residence over the weekend to make repairs to a nearby utility pole.

The imposter said he would be dropping off a generator to the residence to provide power while repairs were made, but that he first needed to check the electrical panel box in the house’s basement. When the victim accompanied the imposter into the basement, a second suspect entered the residence and removed an undisclosed amount of cash and jewelry. Both suspects fled.

The imposter was described by the victim as a white male in his 30s with “bad’ or missing teeth. The suspect also is described as having severe acne and a thin, black beard and mustache.

All O&R employees and contractors are required to carry color photo I.D. cards during their workday. If a person comes to your door claiming to be an O&R employee or contractor, ask to see the card.
If individuals representing themselves as O&R employees or contractors cannot produce a legitimate photo I.D. card, terminate further contact with them, lock your door and call the police.

Image via Shutterstock