Police are warning the public to be aware of a man posing as a council worker needing to check water pressure, following an incident in Glen Eden last Friday.
An elderly woman was at home when a well-dressed Caucasian man wearing a high-vis vest knocked on her back door at around 2.30pm.
He said he worked for the council and was there to test the water pressure. He came into her living room and asked her to go and turn on all the taps in her house.
The lady did this and the man told her that everything was fine. He then asked for her landline number and left.
Ten minutes later the victim received a phone call from a blocked number. A man told her he was a Police officer and that he had caught someone who had stolen her wallet.
He told the lady that in order to close her bank accounts he needed her pin number.
Fortunately she refused and hung up on him, and then discovered that her wallet had in fact been stolen.
“This man does not work for the council or the Police. The victim has done very well to not disclose her pin numbers. Police will never ask for your pin number and you should never give it out to anyone” says Constable Heber Gasu.
“Carrying out a trick like this , particularly on an elderly person, is just downright rotten. We are obviously very keen to catch this person and want to warn others. Everyone has the right to feel safe and be safe in their own home and anyone who has information on who this may be should contact Police” says Constable Gasu, Glen Eden Community Constable.
The man is described as the following;
Caucasian
Aged around 40 years old
Blonde/sandy coloured hair
Tall
Well-built
Well-dressed with a red high-visibility jacket with no sleeves
Anyone with information about the incident should contact Constable Heber Gasu on 09 213 8062.
Information can also be given anonymously to the organisation Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
ENDS
Beth Bates/Waitemata Police