Residents concerned after strangers knock on their doors

ATLANTA - Some residents in Collier Hills are on high alert after they said strangers on the streets knocked on their doors claiming to be utility workers.

“It is something that raises the hair on my arm,” said Bernadette Boas who lives in the northwest Atlanta neighborhood.

Boas said two men approached her home claiming to be with a utility company, but she immediately became concerned when they asked for something specific.

“At the same time they only asked for water,” said Boas. “There was no indication on them that they would have been with that utility company, so it definitely raised the suspicious flag.”

Boas said she did not open the door and called the utility company, who she said told her they do not send people door-to-door. Atlanta police said Boas did the right thing.

“What they will end up doing is maybe walking through an apartment complex or through a neighborhood knocking on some doors,” said Officer Lukasz Sajdak with the Atlanta Police Department. “If someone answers they will say they were looking for a friend and play it off, if no one answers they may do another lap, they might force entry and take that opportunity.”

Officers said if someone knocks on your door claiming to be with a utility company always ask for identification.

“A lot of companies if you go to their website offers pictures of their uniforms, maybe any scams that are going on so citizens just definitely utilize those resources,” said Officer Sajdak.

Investigators said sometimes the burglars will go as far as to take the time to learn your schedule, so know your neighbors, if you see a car that you have not seen before driving up and down the street call 911.

Boas said she has alerted her neighbors to what happened and will continue to be vigilant.

“If we can do anything as a community and I can do it as a neighbor to make us safe and keep us safe in conjunction with the police, than that is what we need to do,” said Boas.