Fake Utility Workers Burglarize Home in San Marino

Two men who falsely identified themselves as Southern California Edison employees burglarized a home in the 2300 block of Lorain Road on Wednesday and may have attempted a burglary at another home in San Marino.

In the incident where the home was burglarized, a man knocked on the door and told the home owner he was from the utility and said he needed to check power lines in the resident's back yard, according to a release from the San Marino Police Department.

The other man was in a white pick-up truck when the first man knocked on the door.  Police believe he entered the home once the resident was in the back yard.  When the pair left, the resident discovered they had taken a safe and other valuables from her home.

In the second incident, two men, also driving a white truck, knocked on another resident's home and identified themselves as Edison workers.  The resident refused to let them in and then contacted Edison to see if any crews were in the area.  When the company said there were not any there, the resident then contacted the police.

The suspects have been described by police as wearing "long sleeve blue work shirts, and blue baseball caps, possibly with the logo of a tree service patch on the front of the cap.

Cases where a burglary suspect falsely identifies himself are a common trick called "deception burglaries."  The San Marino Police Department is urging residents to be cautious in these cases.  Common schemes are for burglars to identify themselves from being from "utility companies, delivery companies and construction companies."