Watch for Thieves Posing as Utility Workers

The Pacifica Police Department wants to remind residents to never let any strangers into their home.

“A common criminal activity is for thieves, posing as utility workers, to gain entrance to homes by feigning a problem with a utility. They tell the homeowners they need access to the home to ‘check the problem,’” said James Tasa, Pacifica Chief of Police. “Once inside, the thieves ask the resident to help them by performing a task in another part of the home. While the homeowner is distracted, the utility worker or an accomplice steals cash and or jewelry from the home.”

The Pacifica Police Department urges residents to follow these simple crime prevention tips:

• 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.

• 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 PG&E at 1- 800-743-5000 or AT&T at 1-800-288-2020 to confirm the worker should be at your home.

• Contact Pacifica Police Department immediately at 650-738-7314 or 9-1-1. If you are unsure about any aspect of the visit, do not allow the worker access to your home and call the police.

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