Airdrie Rural RCMP are warning residents of Rocky View County about a potential roof repair scam.
Police responded to a complaint of suspicious people at a residence near Balzac on Nov. 30. A homeowner reported that two men attended his residence claiming to be roof repairmen following up on damage from a windstorm on Nov. 27. The suspects told the homeowner they would do an evaluation of his roof free of charge. The suspects then advised they would need to enter the residence and view the roof from the attic to ensure it was safe.
“Although no offence has occurred, police would caution people to be cautious when strangers approach them claiming to be a legitimate business and requesting permission to look around both inside and outside of residences,” said Const. Robert Frizzell.
The homeowner agreed to let them inside the residence, but became suspicious after one of the suspects fell off the roof due to not securing the ladder properly. When the homeowner attempted to offer medical care, the suspects left the property in a white van with a ladder rack on top.
The homeowner felt this interaction was odd and attempted to write down the licence plate of the van, only to notice the vehicle did not have a licence plate. There have been multiple similar occurrences in the rural area.
“Additionally, police caution homeowners from accepting services from non-licenced business,” Frizzell said. “A common tactic of some criminal elements is to enter a property on the guise of offering a service and subsequently returning to the property after the owners have left and committing break and enters or thefts from the property.”
