Police warn Sammamish residents about man posing as utility worker

SAMMAMMISH -- Police are telling residents to be careful before they open their doors. They’ve gotten reports about someone posing as a service provider.

In one case, a man said he was a Puget Sound Energy employee and needed to get inside a home to read a meter.

In another case, a man pretended to be a Comcast employee picking up equipment.

Neither of those homeowners let the man inside their home, so no crime was committed. But police don’t know if other people in the area were targeted. That’s why they’re warning homeowners.

“If you're suspicious, there's no problem with shutting the door, calling the provider and asking them did you send somebody to my house,” police detective Jason Stanley said Monday. “If they say no, you should hang up and call 911.”

PSE and Comcast say all their employees carry ID badges and wear clothing with their company logos.

Police haven’t determined whether this is just one person attempting to get into people’s home. The suspect is described as an older white man between 50 and 60 years old.