Police warn of break-ins, thefts by door-to-door salesmen

NORTH READING, Mass. (MyFoxBoston.com) - Police in three communities north of Boston are warning residents about unregistered salesmen who have been stealing packages and breaking into homes.

Officers in Reading, North Reading and Wakefield urged citizens to watch for unlicensed door-to-door solicitors who aggressively try to sell magazines to residents and steal packages or break into houses when no one is home.

A woman who did not answer her door to a salesman on Van Norden Rd., in Reading, called police on Friday after the man was bold enough to try to break in during broad daylight.

"The solicitor continued to ring the doorbell about 10 times," said 
Reading Police Lt. Richard Abate. "That person had walked around to the back of her back deck. It startled her, she screamed and she called 911."

Officers arrived and arrested Laderius Alton Lowe, 22, of Detrioit, who had stolen goods in his possession, police said. He faces charges of breaking and entering and receiving stolen goods valued at more than $250.

Neighbor Donna Keller was in her front yard with her family on Friday when she saw one unlicensed salesman approaching homes.

"He happened to go next door to my neighbor's house, and I kind of took notice of that," Keller said. "Probably about 10 mins later the North Reading police went down the street slowly without their lights and had a discussion, and then off he went."

Some of the salespeople identified themselves as employees of Texas-based company Urban Nation, police said.

"An investigation indicated that the dozen or so men from all over the country, including Detroit, St. Louis, and Washington D.C. were dropped off by a rental van in North Reading to conduct their solicitations and that as many as 100 people may have been flown into the Boston area by this company," the three police departments said in a joint press release Saturday.

Urban Nation did not return Fox 25's calls or emails on Saturday.

Fox 25 News found an F rating for the company from the Better Business Bureau. The rating is based on at least 64 complaints in the last three years, including allegations of door-to-door scams. The agency issued a warning to potential customers in June 2014.

Officers urged residents who witness similar unusual activity to call police immediately.

Cox Media Group