Crime & Safety

Burlingame Police Warn of Construction Worker Scam

Police say a man posing as a construction worker distracted the victim while a second suspect entered the victim's home and stole a safe.

The Burlingame Police Department is warning local residents of a recent scam involving a group of suspects who claimed to work for a construction company to access a victim's home.

AT about 11:15 a.m. Monday, a man, claiming to work for a construction company, visited a resident in the 1200 Block Of Bellevue Avenue in Burlingame, according to the Police Department.

The suspect said his unnamed construction company damaged a water pipe and that he needed to enter into the victim’s apartment to repair the damage, police said.

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While the victim was distracted, a second suspect entered the apartment undetected, through the unlocked front door, and removed a small safe from an office area. 

A witness observed the second suspect enter a gray pick-up truck, possibly a Ford F250, driven by a third suspect. 

The first suspect is described as male, about 40 years old, Pacific Islander, 6 feet 4 inches tall, and about 250 lbs. The second suspect is also male, about 35 years old, Pacific Islander, 6 feet tall and 200 pounds; and the third suspect is only described as male.

Tips from the Police Department

• Always ask to see identification before allowing anyone inside your home and asking the purpose of their visit. 
• Be suspicious of anyone going door-to-door asking for solicitations. Con artists will often solicit for construction work around your house. 

If you are suspicious of someone who claims to be a utility or construction worker, please contact the Burlingame Police Department at (650) 777-4100 or “9-1-1” if necessary.

Find out what's happening in Burlingame-Hillsboroughwith free, real-time updates from Patch.


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