From Niesha Lofing:
Be on the lookout - scam artists pretending to be area water employees are targeting elderly residents.
Earlier this month, scam artists posing as "Sacramento Water Works" staff went to the home of an elderly couple in downtown Sacramento and said they were investigating a water supply issue in the neighborhood. They asked if they could go inside the home to check the water pipes. Once inside, one scam artist asked the homeowners to run the water and kept them occupied while the other scam artist ransacked the house, states a Sacramento Police Department news release.
The thieves absconded with cash.
The scam is similar to other incidents last year in the Oak Park and north areas of the city, the release states.
According to the city's department of utilities, "Sacramento Water Works" does not exist. Utility department employees are required to wear identification bearing their name and photo and wear shirts, usually orange, with the utilities logo on the left side.
Utility employees also drive a city vehicle with the city logo on the door and they will rarely ask to come inside a home, the release states.
If a utility employee needs to enter a home, it should be prearranged through the utility department.
Anyone with information about this latest scam or who has observed similar suspicious activity is asked to call the police department at (916) 264-5471.
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