New Boston Police warn of ongoing scam

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By Frank Lewis

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The New Boston Police Department is alerting citizens of a possible scam involving thieves.

Police had an incident on Sept. 19 involving an elderly citizen who lives on Gallia Street in New Boston. That citizen and their caregiver reported that an individual they described as an Hispanic male came to their house and represented himself as a worker for a construction company — supposedly called T&T Construction — and that they were in the alleyway behind the residence where they were supposedly repairing a broken water line. The alleged victims said the man advised them that the workers supposedly dug a little deeper and accidentally hit the water line going to their house and that he needed to come inside and check the lines in the basement and around the house.

New Boston Police Captain Steve Goins said the resident and their caregiver told officers once the man was able to gain entrance into the house, suddenly two other Hispanic males showed up at the front door and they also came in. While one male supposedly was looking over the water lines, one of the other males reportedly kept the victims busy by distracting them while the third male stole jewelry and medication from the house.

After the incident the suspects left in what was described by the caregiver as a newer looking white van.

“The New Boston Police Department received information late yesterday about a news article in West Virginia that apparently in Charleston on Sept. 21, the Charleston Police Department reported they had an incident involving elderly victims who had items stolen from them after males approached their house under the guise of repairing broken water lines and on Sept. 16 in Hurricane there was an similar incident,” Goins said. “It is unknown right now if there is any connection between the New Boston incident and the West Virginia incidents, but the NBPD will be contacting the Detectives in those cities today to see if the descriptions of the suspects match and if there are any connections between the crimes.”

Goins said everyone needs to be aware of the scams and should not be afraid to report them to the police. He said if anyone believes they may have seen the suspects in a newer white van driving around in their neighborhood or if they have been contacted by the suspects, they should contact NBPD or their local law enforcement agency to make the police aware of the situation.

Reach Frank Lewis at 740-353-3101, ext. 1928, or on Twitter @franklewis.

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