Crime & Safety

Elderly Couple Targeted in Utility Worker Scam

Greenwich Police say a man posing a gas company worker distracted the victims while someone else rifled through dresser drawers.


An elderly couple in central Greenwich were targeted by a thief posing gas company worker on Tuesday, according to Greenwich Police.

The Greenwich Police Department received a call about an attempted distraction type burglary using a utility company as a ruse to gain entry to the couple's home about 2:50 p.m. March 18, according to a statement released by police.

Here's how police described the way the incident occurred:

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In a residential section of central Greenwich, an elderly victim contacted the police and related a man appeared at her door relating he was with the "gas company." He convinced the victim and her husband, to accompany him into the basement for approximately 15 minute asking them questions about their heating system. While the victims were in the basement they heard noises upstairs but thought nothing of it at the time. After the man left the victims noticed that their bedroom dresser drawers were open and had been gone through but thankfully nothing was missing. Officers confirmed that the Gas Company did not have any workers in the area.

Suspect Description:

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Subject was described as very short ( maybe 5-foot-2), light skinned Black or Hispanic male, wearing tan shirt and tan jacket, thin build, dark hair, no facial hair, and spoke with a lisp, but no accent.  He drove away in an older tan colored full size SUV or work van in an unknown direction.  The subject had no identification on his person or vehicle for the "gas company."

What to do:

The Greenwich Police would like to remind our citizens that all the Utilities/Communication companies have an ID requirement for their employees.  All field employees are required to carry company issued photo identification at all times and to present such identification upon request when entering into a customer’s home. We also encourage citizens who are unsure or have concerns, to call the Customer Service Department of the respective utility company.  If a worker cannot produce identification, customers should not allow entrance into their home or business and should immediately contact the Greenwich Police at (203) 622-8001. Do your best to write down a description of the subject and the make, model, and license plate of a vehicle if present.


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