Newton Police warn residents of man posing as water department employee

NEWTON, Mass. — Newton Police are warning residents after a man posing as a water department employee went to a homeowner's door.

Police say around 6 p.m. Wednesday, a man went to a home on Pierrepont Road and told the homeowner he was from the water department and needed to check on her contaminated pipes.

The man went downstairs and started banging on the pipes before telling the homeowner he needed to change out one of her pipes to fix the issue. She declined.

"He’s banging the pipes, he says, ‘You have contamination here. Do you hear the difference?’ in the bang and I said 'No,'" said homeowner Selma Grosser.

The man then left and told the homeowner he would return in 10 minutes to check the water, but he never returned.

"I looked at the name, I said, 'Let me see your badge again.' I looked at it and saw it was handwritten, I saw his name and I looked at his face and I think then he knew he had to disappear," said Grosser.

The water department says there was no contamination in the Lower Falls area and the man claiming to be an employee was not employed by them.

The homeowner says the man left in a white vehicle, similar to an ice cream truck, with no markings.

"I think he was probably looking for me to go away so he could cut the pipes and do something, that’s really what I think he was looking for," said Grosser.

The man was described as a heavy set, light-skinned man, approximately 5'5" tall with a mole next to his right eye. He was wearing a baseball cap, dark coat with a yellow reflective vest and had a handwritten badge hanging around his neck.

"Now I’m freaked out that I was so dumb. That’s why I’m freaked out," said Grosser.

If this man comes to your home, don't let him inside and call police immediately.

Anyone with information should call (617)796-2100.

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