Darienite (https://darienite.com/tag/distraction-burglary)
As one man distracted an elderly woman who didn’t speak English, two other men entered her home and stole foreign currency, Darien police said. Police released details this week about the distraction burglary that occurred Sept. 28 on Herman Avenue . At about 11 a.m., the woman was working in the front yard when she was approached by a man who began talking to her. She did not give police a detailed description of him.
A resident of Herman Avenue was recently victimized by at least three individuals in a “distraction burglary” in which a thief enters a house while others hold the attention of the victim, a Darien police official said. “The Detective Bureau is investigating that in conjunction with a couple of other similar-type burglaries that happened in the City of Norwalk,” Capt. Raymond Osborne told the Police Commission at its regular meeting on Tuesday. “We’re trying to see if there’s a link there,” he said. Osborne gave out no further details, and the commission soon went into executive session. More information is expected Monday at the department’s regular news briefing.
Two men knocked on the back door of an elderly Darien woman’s home on Brown Street and told her she seemed to need a roof repair, so she let one of the men go upstairs in her home to check for leaks, police said. What often results from that scenario is that victims later find something stolen from their home and the purported repairmen are never seen again — but nothing seems to have been taken this time, according to police. The resident, who is 82 years old, first heard the front doorbell ring late last Saturday afternoon. But as she was walking over to answer it, she heard a knock on the back door, and opened it to find the two men. After she let one of the men upstairs, as the other talked with her (an essential part of a distraction burglary), the man came back downstairs and she told them both that they’d have to return later in order to do any repairs.
If you didn’t ask a utility to send someone over to your home, be suspicious if someone shows up saying he or she is from Aquarion or Experian or Yankee Gas and wants to come in. That just happened twice in a one-week period in Darien. In one case on Fitch Avenue on Nov. 23, an elderly man let a worker in, but he left after the resident asked a question indicating he was suspicious, and nothing is known to be taken. In another case, on Locust Hill Road on Nov.
As a man posing as a water company employee went through her Ledge Road home with an elderly Ledge Road woman, his accomplice entered the house and stole cash and valuables from an upstairs bedroom, police said. The incident occurred at about 3 p.m. on Thursday, according to Darien police, who gave these further details:
The phony water company employee said a leak had been detected coming from the woman’s home, and she let him in to check out various parts of the house. For much of his visit, the man was on his cell phone — police suspect he was signaling his accomplice. Darien police say this kind of crime is a “distraction burglary” in which one perpetrator keeps the attention of a householder (often an elderly person) as one or more thieves enter a home to steal from it. Aquarion Water Co., which serves Darien customers, recommends, “especially if no appointment has been scheduled,” that residents “refuse entrance into their home without first seeing photo identification.”
To prevent becoming the victim of a crime when a person claiming to be from the water company comes calling (as happened on Thursday), Aquarion Water Co. has some advice for customers. Here’s what a news release (PDF here) issued by the utility on May 29 said:
Aquarion Water Company is reminding customers to take precautions before allowing anyone into their home or business for maintenance, especially when no appointment has been scheduled. Aquarion advises that residents refuse entrance into their home without first seeing photo identification. “Aquarion Water Company employees follow strict protocols when entering customers’ homes and businesses, which include showing the customer an Aquarion photo ID,” said Charles V. Firlotte, Aquarion President and CEO. “We also encourage any customer who is unsure or has concerns to call our Customer Service Department.”
Aquarion Water Company employees and contractors are required to carry company-issued photo identification at all times and to present such identification upon request when entering a customer’s home.
Here’s a long quote from a news release Darien police issued Friday with advice for preventing a “distraction burglary” — when one person distracts a householder while another sneaks in a home to steal from it (after one such incident happened on Thursday):
Distraction burglary is a crime in which elderly persons are often the targets but not always. The perpetrator seeks to draw a resident out of the house or into the basement on a pretext. While the resident is occupied, an accomplice enters the home and steals valuables such as money and jewelry. Thieves may also take papers with the intent of committing identity theft. In a variation, the accomplice enters the dwelling by a second door while the resident is occupied at the other door.
To prevent distraction burglary, be suspicious of anyone who comes to your door under any of these guises:
Utility worker
Public official
Door-to-door salesperson
Person asking about a lost pet
Lost person asking for directions
Person asking about working on the property
Surveyor
In the case of someone claiming to be on official business, it’s a good idea to ask for identification, but that can be faked.