• Pennsylvania State Police reported Andrew David Sharp, 41,
of Chadds Ford Township, pulled a shotgun on at workers who were trying to
repossess a propane tank from a home on Murphy Road.

• A 48-year-old man was charged with harassment following an
incident on Ring Road in Chadds Ford Township on June 4. A police report gave
no names or detail other than to say the man repeatedly annoyed a 50-year-old
woman.

• State police investigated an accident at Route 202 and
Oakland road in Chadds Ford Township at 9:17 a.m. on June 10. The accident left
a West Chester man with an undisclosed injury. The report said Xadean Ahmasi,
33, of Hanover Md. was driving south on Route 202 when John Z. Kostesich
attempted a left turn onto northbound Route 202. Ahmasi’s Escalade hit
Kostesich’s Chevy S10.

• State police from Troop J, Avondale, will be conducting a
sobriety checkpoint at an undisclosed intersection in Chester County during the
weekend from June 18 through June 20.

• Advisory

The
Pennsylvania State Police issued an advisory regarding crimes frequently
perpetrated by transient criminals against the public. The department noted that the crimes in
many cases are directed at older Pennsylvania residents and frequently take
place during the summer months.

Two
of the more common schemes are:

Home-repair scams: Victims typically are approached through door-to-door
solicitation by one or more persons offering to seal a driveway, fix a roof, or
do some other repairs at an unusually low price. Many times the individuals will say they are “working in the
area” or had “extra materials left over”.
Often the individuals will offer a discount price for cash payment. When the job is finished, the final
price frequently is much higher then the original estimate and the materials
used typically are of an inferior quality.

Diversion thefts/imposter frauds: In these crimes, individuals approach and
distract a homeowner, luring them toward a particular room of the house by feigning
illness, asking for a drink of water, saying they are looking for a lost pet,
etc.

The individuals also may pose as repairmen from the local power company
or water department in an effort to gain access to the victim’s house or lure
the victim out of the house. The
individuals may present an identification badge, may be wearing what appears to
be a work uniform, and may try to convince the victim that they need to test
the water pressure, electricity, or determine where the property line falls. They will claim that company
regulations do not allow them to be on the property or in the house
unaccompanied. They also may claim to be
from a tree-pruning service, driveway paving service or fence installation
company.

The
purpose is to distract the victim while unseen accomplices enter the residence
and steal valuables and cash. In some instances, the suspects communicate with hand-held
radios or cellular telephones while committing these offenses.

Prevention
Tips:
• Always
lock your front and back doors when doing yard work, going to the street to get
mail, or doing any other errand that keeps you away from your home.
• Be careful about leaving anyone you don’t know into your home. Don’t allow strangers inside your home,
even if they appear to be in distress or with a young child.
• Check with your utility company by telephone if a person claiming to be an employee
wants to enter your home or wants you to come outside with him or her. If you don’t see any identification,
ask for it. But keep in mind that these
criminals have become adept at making their own identification cards and each
individual’s identification should be verified with their respective company.
• Beware of unsolicited home repairmen.
Never deal with any door-to-door contractors. If you cannot verify the name, address, or telephone number
of the repairman, they may not be reputable. If you need the services of a home repairman, deal with
local people recommended by friends or reputable building supply stores. Request local references. Check your phone directory, your
municipality’s building officials, or the Better Business Bureau to make sure
the individuals are legitimate. Verify that the contractor is properly
licensed, bonded, and insured. Under
the state’s Home Improvement Law, all contractors must be licensed in
Pennsylvania and their paperwork must show the company’s licensing number. That information can be checked at the
Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General website at http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/hicsearch/
or by calling 1-888-520-6680.
• Be suspicious of high-pressure sales tactics. Get written contracts
describing explicit specifications of the work, the price, the responsibility
for cleaning up, and the hourly rate for any added work. Never sign any contract or agreement
without carefully checking it. Be
sure you understand and agree with all the provisions.
• Be sure the work
is completed to your satisfaction before making final payment. Require a guarantee on the work and pay
by check so you can stop payment if necessary.
• Write down the license plate number of any vehicles being operated by
individuals acting suspiciously. Get
a good physical description of any suspicious individual who comes to your
door.
• When in doubt, call police immediately to report the incident. Don’t be too embarrassed to report that
you may have been victimized or swindled.