Police Warn of Burglars Posing as Fence Fixers

Jewelry and cash were stolen from an elderly Fremont man’s home Tuesday after being lured to his backyard by suspects posing as fence workers, police said. 

According to the Fremont Police Department, the theft occurred between 2 and 3 p.m. Tuesday at a home on Landon Avenue. Two suspects knocked on the victim’s door and told him that they were fixing his neighbor’s fence and that they needed him to come to the backyard and look at it.

When the victim went to the backyard, he left the front door of his home unlocked, police said. The suspects spoke with the victim for about 20 minutes, then left the home.

On Wednesday, the victim alerted police that cash and jewelry were missing from his home.

The suspects were described as two Middle Eastern male adults. One suspect was described as a 25-year-old with an average build; the other 30 years old with an average build. Both were about 5-foot-8 to 5-foot-10 and were wearing khaki pants. 

According to police, a similar contractor scam was reported last week but the department is unaware of any victims. In last week’s incident, the men posed as city employees and told residents that they were doing attic inspections. 

Tuesday’s burglary is similar to a spree of scams in late August and September where a woman claimed to be a city employee checking for a snake infestation in Fremont and Union City. The woman would instruct residents to exit the home while an accomplice burglarized it.

The Fremont Police Department is urging residents to be cautious and to report any suspicious activity.

Anyone with information about the crime is urged to contact Fremont Police at 510-790-6900. Anonymous tips may also be left at www.fremontpolice.org/tip or by texting TIP FREMONTPD to 888777 with your message.

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