Sen. Charles Schumer called on National Grid on Monday to give customers 24-hour advance phone or mail notification for home appointments in an effort to thwart “distraction” burglaries in Nassau County in which a robber posing as one of the utility company’s employees gains access to a home.
“It is something we can do something about, and fortunately we can,” Schumer said during a press conference on the front lawn of a house in a Herricks neighborhood where one of three recent burglaries occurred. “It’s not very hard to do. And we’re asking how people can recognize National Grid employees so they can tell the difference between a real National Grid employee and an imposter.”
Police reported burglaries by a man posing as a National Grid employees in Herricks, Westbury and Syosset on June 19 and 20.
Schumer said National Grid should start giving 24-hour notice in areas where the three burglaries took place and then expand the practice into the rest of Nassau County. When a National Grid employee arrives at a home, he added, residents should look for a National Grid vehicle, look at the person’s uniform and examine the person’s company identification.
Schumer said the “m.o.” of the burglars has been the same in all three cases, with a National Grid imposter gaining entry into the house of an elderly person by saying he was checking for a gas leak.
After gaining entry, he said, the fake utility worker helped an accomplice enter the house and keeps the resident distracted while the accomplice steals cash, coins and jewelry.
“It’s a very clever scheme and some people do not realize until hours later that their valuables are missing,” Schumer said.
Schumer said two women were arrested for nine burglaries in a similar scheme in Nassau County in 2012 and police arrested a band of robbers last year in Staten Island for similarly targeting elderly people.
“It’s happened repeatedly,” he said. “This is not an unusual situation unfortunately.”
Schumer said he had seen the aftermath of a burglary at his grandmother’s house when he was eight years old. His family had been out to dinner and returned to the house to find things overturned, he said.
“You know how badly it feels. It feels like you’re violated,” he said.
Schumer representatives provided a copy of a letter Schumer wrote to Tom King, president of National Grid USA, suggesting the company initiate the new customer notification policy.
In a press release issued on Monday after Schumer’s announcement, National Grid said they shared his concern.
“We encourage customers to remain alert for scammers claiming to be National Grid or representatives of other utilities,” the company said. “We are reviewing Senator Schumer’s recommendation, as we are always looking for ways to improve our current processes for the safety and security of our customers.”
National Grid, which provides gas service to Nassau County homes and businesses, said its employees always travel in clearly marked trucks.
The company advised customers to check employee’s badges, particularly if the customer did not initiate the service call.
If a customer has any doubts about a service call, the company said, the employee should be asked to wait outside the house while the customer calls 1-800-930-5003 for information in Nassau or Suffolk County.
Town Councilman Peter Zuckerman (D-Roslyn), who was present at Schumer’s press conference, endorsed Schumer’s plan and suggested that National Grid take give its customers advance notice on checking meters or other work. He also advised residents to check utility workers’ IDs.
“These simple steps will help protect our seniors,” Zuckerman said.
PSEG Long Island, which manages the electric grid in Nassau County, warned its customers to be alert for thieves posing as utility workers and phone and email payment scams In a press release issued on June 26.
PSEG said its employees must display ID badges and customers with any questions about a PSEG employee or a payment request should call 1-800-490-0025.
After Schumer’s press conference, Binod Verma, a former member of the now inactive Manhasset Hills Civic Association, said the association may be revived to deal with the threat of future burglaries.
“If this thing continues, we may reactivate it,” Verma said.
Mariann Giliberto said Herricks school board Trustee Juleigh Chin currently maintains a list of 400 area residents for email alerts.
She said Chin, who started the list as co-president of the Herricks Council of PTAs several years ago, sent an alert about the recent Herricks house burglary.
