Massachusetts

Braintree Residents Warned of Man Posing as Water Department Employee

Police are warning residents in Braintree, Massachusetts, to be aware of a man who is possibly posing as a town employee in order to gain access to homes.

The police department posted a community alert on Facebook, warning people of incidents in two different neighborhoods.

"We feel very safe here," said Braintree resident, Janice Oliver. "It’s always a little disconcerting, but hopefully everybody will pay attention to this and be a little bit more cautious."

Investigators said a resident on Washington Street called police Tuesday morning, saying a man with a tool bag came to their door claiming to be from the Braintree Water and Sewer Department.

The man said he needed to come in to check the water line, but he had no identification. It turns out the city hadn’t sent anyone out.

Another incident happened about an hour later on Shaw Street.

The Facebook warning spread quickly, and was shared by countless residents like Beth Lanigan.

"Well I was concerned," said Lanigan. "It’s my neighborhood. I feel like there’s a lot of people who are vulnerable."

Police are reminding residents that town employees typically are in marked vehicles and wear some type of uniform.

"I’d probably ask him for ID," said Angie Kenney. "I want to see your truck, your vehicle, what you have, and everything that comes with it."

Braintree Police said there have been similar incidents in Boston and Cambridge. There has also been a similar incident in Dracut.

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