Be on the Lookout for Burglars Posing as Water Workers

This alert came in from the Montgomery Country Police Department. Be on the lookout for burglars posing as  water workers:

Detectives from the 5th District Investigative Section are investigating a residential burglary that occurred on Friday, January 28, in Germantown, where the suspects represented themselves as employees of the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission.

On January 28 at approximately 2:00 pm, 5th District officers responded to the 19500 block of Scenery Drive for the report of a burglary that had just occurred. The investigation revealed that the 86-year-old male victim saw a pickup truck enter his driveway. Two suspects knocked at the door saying there was a problem with the water line. The suspects told the victim that they were from WSSC and that there had been a water main break on their street. They convinced the victim that they needed to check pipes in his basement and asked the victim and his elderly wife to come downstairs with them. The victims heard a noise upstairs, and the two suspects ran out of the home. Three suspects were seen leaving together in the pickup truck. It was later learned that a third suspect had entered the house, forced open the master bedroom closet door and taken a safe containing jewelry.

The suspects were described as possibly Hispanic males: one age 55, 5' 10" to 5' 11" tall, and weighing 185 pounds; one age 25, 5' 8" tall, weighing 145 pounds, and the other age 35, and 5' 6" tall. The two suspects with the victims were wearing blue jeans and light-colored jackets. The truck was described as being
in good condition, silver in color, perhaps a 2000 to 2004 model with a very wide back end.

Detectives learned that there have been several burglaries in Pennsylvania recently using this same type of hoax and targeting elderly victims. It is believed that a transient criminal group may now have migrated to our area and these suspects may again attempt this or a similar hoax aimed at elderly residents. This is a very plausible situation, and Montgomery County Police remind residents to not immediately open doors to strangers and to ask for official identification from individuals claiming to represent legitimate businesses.

Anyone with information about these suspects is asked to call the 5th District Investigative Section at 240-773-6237.

For more information contact 240-773-5030 or email Catherine E. Plevy, Public Information Officer, Takoma Park Police, cathyp @ takomagov.org.