Residents:
On November 30th, the South Whitehall Police Department issued the following alert:
On November 29th, 2023, around 4:30 PM in the 3500 block of Catherine Avenue, it was reported that a white male between 40 – 50 years old, wearing a dark baseball hat, dark jacket, and what appeared to be an ID tag clipped to his jacket, came to the door claiming to be water and sewer employee. The male claimed he needed to go into the basement to check for contaminants and displayed some paperwork. When the male was refused entry, he stated he was going to shut the water off. When the victim said they were calling the police, the suspect left the area in an unmarked, white, newer model, extended cab pickup truck.
This scenario is consistent with distraction/imposter burglaries. Distraction burglary is a crime in which elderly persons are often the targets. The perpetrator seeks to distract the resident out of the house or to another area of the house while an accomplice enters the home and steals valuables such as money and jewelry.
To prevent distraction burglary, the South Whitehall Township Police urges residents to be suspicious of anyone who comes to their door claiming to be on official business. It is a good idea to ask for identification, but unfortunately, that can be faked. Instead, we suggest residents call the agency they claim to represent and confirm that there are legitimate workers in the area or immediately contact the police.
After the alert was issued, the UMTPD was contacted by a resident in the 8000 block of Grady Drive (located near UMTPD headquarters off of Schantz Road), who advised that they had seen the alert and that a male matching that description had been at their home the day prior.
At this time, it is unknown if this is the same subject that was involved in the South Whitehall incident. However, we wanted to alert our residents about the situation, which remains under investigation.
If you or your family members are ever in a situation where you have concerns about someone who has appeared at your doorstep, please do not hesitate to contact our police department at (610) 437-5252 (non-emergency) or 911 (emergency).
Respectfully,
Lt. Peter Nickischer
Crime and Community Services Division Commander
[email protected]
