Denver residents’ safe reportedly stolen during scam
A Lincoln County brother and sister told authorities they were hoodwinked out of a safe while talking to a woman who knocked on their door claiming to be from Duke Energy.
The woman reportedly talked to the siblings about plans she claimed Duke Energy had to build a school and develop land behind their residence in the 2600 block of N.C. 16 Business in Denver, Lincoln County sheriff’s investigators said.
The siblings said they walked with the woman to the back of their property. That’s when they said she began talking with two males on a two-way radio, investigators said. The woman then left the property and never returned, causing the residents to become suspicious, investigators said.
The incident happened Thursday. But the victims didn’t notice anything was missing from their home until Saturday, when they realized the safe was gone. The safe is black with a digital keyboard and weighs 150 to 200 pounds, the Sheriff’s Office said. It contained papers important to the family.
The victims told police they believe the safe was stolen Thursday when they’d left the home with the woman claiming to be from Duke Energy.
The woman was described as 5-feet, 4-inches tall and was last seen wearing a baseball-type cap and had an unknown type of identification badge hanging from her pocketbook.
Occasionally, Duke Energy may send employees or authorized contractors to a home to perform meter work or some other service, according to the company’s website. But it advises people to always ask for identification. Or you could request the person’s name and the reason for the visit and contact Duke Energy to verify the information.
The company said to not let anyone in your home without verifying their identity. Call police immediately if you believe the person is an imposter.
Anyone with information about last week’s scam is asked to call the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office at 704-732-9050.
Joe Marusak: 704-358-5067, @jmarusak
This story was originally published January 12, 2016 at 12:48 PM with the headline "Denver residents’ safe reportedly stolen during scam."