Police caution residents about suspicious activity

Strangers claim they're victims of ‘unfortunate circumstances'

Friday, June 26, 2009

The sheriff's office has received about a dozen calls over the past few weeks reporting these types of incidents, many of which happened along Route 6 between U.S. 301 and Woodhaven or in White Plains, according to Diane Richardson, police spokeswoman.

"We've had quite a few in a short period of time, and we want people to know that it's perfectly fine to give us a call if someone at the door makes them uncomfortable," she said.

The strangers sometimes say that they've run into "unfortunate circumstances" and need food or shelter. In one instance at the Clarks Run neighborhood in La Plata, a pair of men claimed they needed money because they'd run out of gas and needed to drive to an airport. However, officers knew the men were drug users and said they probably wanted the money to support their drug habit, according to Richardson.

Police said that in other cases, people will tell homeowners that they want to earn some extra money by doing small jobs, such as seal coating a driveway. However, often the workers do a poor job and use substandard materials, according to police.

Officers haven't arrested anyone in connection with the calls, but still ask that citizens let them know if someone suspicious is wandering the neighborhood. Although people are often in the neighborhood for legitimate reasons, police will still check and make sure, said Richardson.

"Very often, they haven't broken the law … but we keep that information on hand, so if later down the road there are any break-ins in the area, we can review the reports of suspicious activity," Richardson said.

Officers advise citizens to take care when answering the door. Residents should think about whether they are expecting anyone, look to see who is knocking and note the person's description. Homeowners should ask the person to leave if they feel uncomfortable.

"If I just have an uneasy feeling, I'm not going to answer the door," Richardson said.

brodgers@somdnews.com