HARRISBURG, Pa.–Authorities are warning residents to be on alert after a burglar posed as a water company employee to get access to a Harrisburg home, according to police reports.
It happened Wednesday along the 3100 block of Wayne Street around 2 p.m. The woman told police she was shoveling snow when she was approached by a man claiming to work for the water company.
The woman escorted the man into her home and he began checking the pipes in her basement. All the while, he was on the phone with another person. At one point, the man told the woman to go upstairs to her bathroom and flush the toilet. When she returned from the bathroom–the man was gone and she discovered two safes had been forced open and various items had been stolen by a second burglar, police said.
The burglar who posed as a water company employee is described as a white male, approximately 6’0″, who was last seen wearing glasses and a white construction hard hat. The suspect was not wearing any visible identification.
Police did not provide any description information on the second suspect.
Residents are reminded to always ask for ID. If you are ever unsure, call the police department before letting an unknown person into your home. If you experience this type of scam or see suspicious people in your neighborhood, call police immediately.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-262-3080.