SDG&E Warns of Burglary Scam

San Diego Gas & Electric Co. is working with police to identify who might be posing as utility workers to burglarize homes, a spokeswoman said Friday.

In addition to two incidents in La Mesa, there were others in the San Diego communities of Pacific Beach and Bay Park, according to Allison Zaragoza, the spokeswoman.

She said the burglaries being investigated by San Diego police involve suspects with similar descriptions to those in .

The warning by SDG&E was issued following two reports of imposters posing as utility workers or city inspectors in order to gain entry to San Diego-area homes.

SDG&E said it wanted “customers to be aware of a person or persons who have recently posed as a SDG&E employee and asked to enter a customer’s home.”

In a statement, the utility said: “It has been reported that the impostor will distract unsuspecting customers while performing ‘routine inspections,’ (as) another impostor burglarizes the home.”

“SDG&E wants to assure all customers that all SDG&E employees carry the proper identification when called out to any job and is warning customers to ensure they verify the employee’s proper uniform and identification before letting anyone in your home,” the utility said.

The two incidents happened in La Mesa Feb. 16 and Feb. 21. In one, a man claimed he was from the “City Inspector’s Office” and said there was a gas leak in the yard. While that person spoke with the resident, another burglarized the home, according to police.

On Feb. 14 an Imperial Beach woman woke to find a man in her house which she . Sergeant Jeff Duckworth with the San Diego Sheriff's Department Imperial Beach station said the incident is not thought at this time to be related to the La Mesa and San Diego burglaries.

The fraudulent service worker in one of the cases was described as a white male adult, 5 foot 3 inches, 150 pounds, with a ponytail down the middle of his back. He spoke Spanish and wore a brown jacket and khaki pants. He had an earpiece in his ear with a wire down the back of his shirt.  

The worker in the other case was described as a white or Hispanic man in his late 20s, 5 foot 10 inches, 160 pounds and thin.   

The following numbers are available as a reference:

SDG&E (800-411-7343)  and AT&T (800-288-2020).