COMMUNITY
Public Safety
MESSAGE FROM THE ROSS POLICE DEPARTMENT
DON’T BE A VICTIM!
HOME IMPROVEMENT FRAUD
An ounce of prevention begins with the
knowledge that April brings more
than flowers and spring showers.
The warmer weather also
brings reason to be alert
around your home for the
appearance of persons
seeking to steal your cash
and valuables. Following
are just a few examples of
some not so ordinary ways
that thieves are making it
into the homes, and bank
accounts, of unsuspecting
victims.
R O SS TOWN SH IP NE WS
oss Township
THE UTILITY WORKER CON
A man approaches you
at your home about
utility work being done
in the area. He is dressed
in official looking attire,
maybe an orange vest or
a phony uniform shirt, a
name tag, a hard hat and
a portable radio. He tells
you that the water or
electrical service in your
basement needs to be
checked. You notice him
talking to someone on
the radio as you show him to the basement. He occupies your
time while you begin to wonder if what he is telling you makes
any sense. Ten minutes or so pass and someone calls him on his
radio. The man thanks you for your cooperation and leaves your
home. You realize something just doesn’t feel right. A quick search
through your house reveals that money and jewelry have been
stolen.
THE ASPHALT/SEAL-COATING SCAM
A man approaches your home and comments on the condition
of your driveway. He suggests you hire him to do a seal-coating
or paving job. He may offer you what he says is a significant
discount. He claims that he has “left over sealant or asphalt”.
Thinking you are getting a good deal, you agree. Two weeks after
the job is done (or sooner), the sealant washes away with the
rain, or your brand new asphalt begins to crumble and turns your
driveway into sticky mess.
54 Ross Township
A seemingly well-intentioned man approaches your home
soliciting business on any number of supposed items that need
work on your house or property. Suggestions can range from roof
and gutter replacement to landscaping work. At times, actual
work that needs to be done legitimately will be pointed out as
well. Either way, these types of thieves have no intention of
completing the work from the beginning. Everything will be
about the negotiation of an agreement that may be scribbled on a
piece of notebook paper, if not on a more formal looking work
order. Advance payments are always demanded, and some crooks
may use high pressure tactics, even to the point of driving elderly
victims to their local bank branch for cash not on hand in the
home. Contracts can range into thousands of dollars. All the while
these unscrupulous characters have no plans of making good on
their promises. Also, beware that jobs may be started, only to ask
for more money due to “unexpected” issues that were “uncovered”
after the job was started. At the end of the day, you could be out a
lot of money for nothing.
THE BIG PICTURE
These are just a few of the more common scams being used. There
are many variations and other ploys being used to either commit
Home Improvement Fraud or actual home burglaries. Home
owners can minimize their risk by keeping their houses, cash and
valuables secure. Large sums of money should be kept in a bank
account - NEVER at home.
There are actually groups of organized criminals in society who
do nothing but steal from home owners for a living. They are
unlike the burglar that sneaks into someone’s home while they
are away. These types con their victims into granting them access.
They are known victims. Sadly, no community is completely
immune to the possibility of this kind of crime. These unsavory
types are constantly moving around the country and can show up