NBPD warns residents about diversionarytactic scams

NORTH BRUNSWICK — The township Police Department has come across different scams lately that use diversionary tactics to trick residents.

On Oct. 9 in town, a resident of Dogwood Court was approached by three Hispanic males who offered to clean the siding on his house. An amount was reached through a verbal agreement, but the homeowner was leery since the men had no equipment; so instead, the man gave the workers a hose and cleaning equipment.

The men called the resident outside to see if the work they did was satisfactory, and they agreed on a 15-percent discounted price. The resident paid the men and went back inside his house, at which point he realized one of the workers was inside his house.

On Oct. 13, the resident noticed a significant amount of cash was missing, and remembered that the man was on the second floor of his home in the area of his master bedroom. So, on Oct. 16, he filed a police report.

Police Lt. Roger Reinson said this is becoming a common scheme as of late. Other suspects will pretend to do an appraisal on a house, offer to work on a roof or a driveway, or pose as fake electric or water company personnel.

Then, as the homeowner is led outside to view the work, another person will sneak inside the house and quickly remove anything of value.

"Even when you're in the area of your home, when you exit, make sure your house is locked and keep a key with you," Reinson advised residents.

A different scam brought to the attention of the North Brunswick Police Department by the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office involves a case in another jurisdiction.

The reported scam attempts to scare parents and grandparents into believing that a loved one has been arrested and that money is needed to bail that person out of jail. The victim, according to the Amherst police, had been instructed to send a mailgram to a New Brunswick, Canada, location but was told that after his "grandson" was released, 90 percent would be refunded. The man realized this was a scam and contacted the police.