If in Doubt, Keep Them Out! Crooks come in many disguises! ...

 

If in Doubt, Keep Them Out!

Crooks come in many disguises! Some come knocking on your front door or simply stop to talk to you while you are doing yard work. A reminder from the Lee County Sheriff's Office: Ifsomeone knocks on your door offering to ‘trim your trees’ or wants to sell you something,beware! You may be talking to a con-artist trying to gain entry into your home or distract you long enough to allow their partner time to gain entry into your home.

Last night, the Sheriff’s Office received a report of suspicious activity involving 3 Hispanic males, reportedly in their mid to late 20’s, who asked a local homeowner if she would like her trees trimmed near her fence line. As one of the men engaged her in conversation directing her to step outside to look at the trees in question, one of the other subjects knocked on the front doorand encountered the woman’s husband.  After entering the home, the unknown male requested the homeowner to go to the patio “so he too could see the trees in question.” After realizing the three men were communicating with one another via walkie-talkies and after requesting a business card from the men, which they did not have, the homeowner became uneasy about thesituation and their intentions.  The 3 men left the residence in a mini-van, not a work truck.

This homeowner’s suspicions may have prevented them from becoming a victim of a burglary.

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Before allowing anyone access to your home; know who you are allowing inside.

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Remember if you are asked to step “out back to look at something” it may be a tactic to get you away from your unlocked door so their partner can sneak inside.

For more information about this Safety and Security tip or to learn how to best protect your home, contact the Sheriff’s Office Crime Prevention Unit at 258-3292. To report a suspicious person or vehicle, call 477-1000. In an emergency, dial 911.