Bridgeport police are warning residents of a scam in which men posing as utility workers attempt to get inside residents’ homes.
According to police, men claiming to work for the gas company have targeted several city homes, many of which are occupied by elderly residents. Recent incidents occurred on Fairview Avenue and Summit Street.
Police said one suspect approached a Summit Street home and told the resident a gas line break had affected the home’s water supply. The resident brought the suspect inside and took him into the basement, at which point a second suspect entered and asked the resident’s wife about sinks on the first floor.
The two suspects spoke to each other in Spanish via hand-held radios, according to police.
They immediately left when one suspect noticed a Bridgeport police uniform hanging in the home’s sunroom, according to police. The uniform belonged to the couple’s son.
“Scams come in all forms and we ask people to be careful when allowing people into their homes,” said Bridgeport Police Chief Joseph L. Gaudett, Jr., in a release. “Ask for work ID, and scrutinize it. If in doubt, call the company where they say to work to verify. If they are legitimate, the workers won’t mind waiting a few minutes.”
