The MDC is warning West Hartford residents of impostors posing as water company employees following a Friday afternoon incident.
By Ronni Newton
Updated, 6 p.m.
West Hartford Police have released additional details, including a description of the two suspects who entered a Jessamine Street home Friday afternoon posing as MDC employees.
Police said that they received a report just before 3 p.m. from someone in the vicinity of 20 Jessamine St. who heard another person yelling “Call 911!”
When police responded to that address, they said that an elderly man was standing by the kitchen sink and an elderly woman was in the basement, near the washing machine and sink.
Police said the woman told them that two men came to the door, informing her that they needed to check the pipes.
The suspects told the elderly male resident to remain in the kitchen and turn on the faucet in the sink while the woman was told to go downstairs to the basement and turn on both the washing machine and the faucet in the basement sink.
Police said that the suspects told the couple to remain in their positions while they checked the entire house.
According to police, the woman said she became suspicious when no one came back downstairs to tell her to turn off the water.
Police said that no one was injured and there was no damage as a result of the incident, however they do not know whether or not anything was stolen from the home.
The residents told police that the suspect who did most of the talking was a white male, in his 30s or 40s, wearing a white button down shirt and a dark tie. The second man was also a white male, believed to be in his 20s, police said.
According to police, a neighbor had observed four white males in the area around 2:30 p.m., one of whom was reportedly wearing a button down shirt and tie.
The MDC told West Hartford Police that the agency did not have any of its employees working in the area at that time.
The West Hartford Police Department Detective Division is investigating the incident.
See below for more information from the MDC about how to avoid allowing impostors to enter your home.
Original Story
The Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) issued a press release Friday afternoon, notifying the public that several male suspects had gained access to a West Hartford residence by posing as water company employees.
According to West Hartford Police, a call was received just before 3 p.m. Friday from a resident reporting that three white males had entered a residence on Jessamine Street, informing the resident that they were employees of the MDC.
Police said that the men entered the house, and one of the men distracted the homeowner by standing by the kitchen sink and chatting, while another went into the basement and the third rummaged through the home.
No details were available from police about what, if anything was taken.
The suspects were not caught, police said.
The MDC has issued the following tips about how to identify their employees:
- “MDC field employees wear clothing and drive vehicles clearly marked with the MDC logo.
- “The MDC encourages customers to stay secure within the home while asking for identification from anyone who comes to their door. All MDC employees have photo identification badges and will gladly display them upon request. The policy is ‘No Identification – No Entry.’
- “If someone comes to your door claiming to be from the water company and you do not have a previously scheduled appointment, do not allow access to your home until calling the MDC Command Center at 860-278-7850 ext 3600 to verify their identity.
- “If you have any doubt about the individual’s identity or motives, or authenticity of their credentials, do not allow them entry into your home and call the police.
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