Acton, Mass., Feb. 8, 2019, — The Acton Police Department and the Acton Water District would like to notify the public of a potential Water Department scam that has been affecting communities in some surrounding areas.
(L to R)Officer Jon Stackhouse, Eagle Scout Candidate Jason Lucas and Firefighter Brent Carter. Clear and visible numbers on your home and mailbox help emergency services find you when seconds count. (photo from www.acton-ma.gov).
In late January and early February communities on the North and South Shore have experienced a group of individuals operating a scam that targets homeowners in order to gain access to their residences. These individuals pose as municipal water department employees, claiming they either need to read the inside water meter of the house or provide claims of the water being tainted and needing to “test” the water by letting it run for a period of time.
These distractions provide individuals time to evaluate items in the home. Once distracted, additional suspects enter the home and remove personal belongings. Individuals have been found to be wearing alleged identification, as well as carrying radios and other convincing accessories.
You are encouraged to not allow anyone you do not know into your home. If there are any suspicions, please call the Acton Water District at (978) 263-9107 to verify the work, or call the Acton Police department at (978) 929-7711.