San Diego city officials are warning you to beware of utility worker imposters.
Criminals pretending to be water employees checking for leaks is a recurring problem, said city spokesman Arian Collins.
"Someone will say we need to test your water and they’ll let them inside, they’ll pretend to test the water and they’ll actually be looking for valuables they can scoop up and pocket," he said.
Collins did not have the number of reports of imposter workers in recent months, but said the city is trying to get the word out now to prevent the problem from escalating. He said the city posted information on its website, on the social network Nextdoor.com and created a brochure to hand out at senior centers, police stations and libraries.
"It’s very rare that a utility worker would ever need to gain access to your home, and certainly you have all the authority to say no," he said.
Collins said if someone comes to your home, ask to see a city badge, which should have a photo and the city logo on it. He said if a utility worker needs to go inside your home, he or she would have made an appointment first.
"If you have any questions or suspicions at all, do not allow someone to come into your home," Collins said.
Collins said residents can also call the police department’s non-emergency line at (619) 531-2000.
San Diego does provide free residential surveys for property owners. In these scheduled appointments, field representatives assess the amount of water used by the toilets, showers, faucets and sprinklers on a property.
