Water Authority Officials Issue Warning About Impersonators In Swissvale
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- An elderly couple was targeted by some bold burglars who impersonated water company employees.
The incident happened in Swissvale and police are now issuing a warning for residents.
People living in the Swisshelm Park neighborhood of Swissvale are on high alert after the incident on Monday.
Police say just before 1 p.m. at least three men claiming to be with a water company went into the home of an elderly couple. They said they were there to check the water lines.
The men were dressed in uniforms and carrying some type of identification that read "water company."
Once inside, they stole nearly $2,000 cash. The couple realized what happened and immediately called police and their water company.
The Wilkinsburg-Penn Joint Water Authority covers the Swissvale area. When employees heard about what happened, they decided to take some proactive steps.
"We're basically going to – one, put a process on our website that identifies an employee of the authority, when we might visit," said Nick Bianchi, of the Wilkinsburg-Penn Joint Water Authority. "We're also talking about the possibility, because typically its senior citizens, of going out and putting out some literature in senior centers."
There are some things to look for right away if someone visits your home.
First, always ask for identification. It has a photo of the employee and a picture of the authority's building. Plus, you want to make sure the employee is in a marked vehicle.
"We don't come out and just say we just want to look at your water lines," said Bianchi. "There may be a reason why we come out; you have called us, we may realize that there may be an over-consumption at some point and we want to come out and see if there is a leak in your facility at all."
The bottom line, a water authority employee will not show up unannounced. If someone does, call police.
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