Mayfield Heights Chief Warns Residents About Phony Utility Worker Visits

An impersonation and failed attempt to enter a home has led Mayfield Heights Police to get proactive, door-to-door style.

Last week, an Enfield Road resident told police that man posing as a Cleveland Water Department worker tried to enter the home and briefly talking to the resident. The man, who displayed no credentials or identification, fled the area on foot after the resident pushed him out of the doorway.

Though residents on that street and others nearby confirmed seeing him run away, police never found the man. Since then, officers have distributed fliers to help people in the event that they see someone posting as a utility worker. According to police, most who pretend to be utility employees or contractors try to lure the homeowner outside to show them a problem, while a partner will often attempt to burglarize the home.

"The main goal of this initiative is to get the residents to call us when they see a suspicious person or incident," Chief Fred Bittner wrote in an email. "In the case of the incident last week, several neighbors did see the suspicious person flee the area, however we did not receive any phone calls reporting this." 

Here are the tips from the information handed out to residents on Larchmont, Windsor, Enfield, and Stafford roads:

• Never open your door without looking out a peephole or window.

• ALWAYS demand identification from utility workers and delivery persons.

• Never step outside your home to be shown something on your property until you verify the credentials and identification of the utility company or other service provider.

• "When in doubt, always call the police department and we will check it out!"