Solicitors Plague Sierra Madre

Suspicious Solicitors

Several suspicious events involving solicitors have occurred in Sierra Madre since last week's wind storm.

The night after the storm knocked out power nearly everywhere in town, the police department says they received several calls from residents reporting nighttime solicitors.

"No legitimate solicitor would seek business from residents at nighttime in a city experience a complete power outage and wind devastation," City officials said in a statement.

Police are urging residents to be cautious should they be faced with a door-to-door solicitor.

Police report stopping two men who were flyering an area of town near Carter Ave. After questioning the men, officers found that both of them were on parole- one for car jacking and the other for residential burglary. One man was arrested on an L.A. Sheriff's Department no-bail residential burglary warrant.

On Wednesday evening just before the wind storm really kicked in, a resident captured an unknown man on video surveillance enter onto his property. The resident posted the video on YouTube and the incident is included in this week's . Police have indicated that the man on video is a person of interest and someone they would like to speak with. 

The city says that burglars often knock on front doors to see if anyone is home. If an unknown person comes calling and you don't answer the door, it's a good idea to keep an eye on their actions.

The police department asks that residents remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity. Sierra Madre also has Neighborhood Watch programs. For more information call (626) 355-1414.

Home Repair Scams

With mounds of debris still settled in many Sierra Madre yards, police are urging residents to take precautions when dealing with home repair services and contractors that may solicit your business.

The city has indicated that unlicensed contractors are likely to go door to door in an attempt to get customers.

The city has released these tip-offs for spotting fraudulent workers and businesses:

• The suspect may take a large deposit and never return to do the work.
• The suspect may actually do the work but the victim finds out later that it is so shoddy and inferior that it must be torn out and replaced at the victim’s expense.
• The suspect may also change the agreed upon price after the work is performed and intimidate a vulnerable victim into paying the higher price.
• Some suspects target victims who have impaired vision, mental states, or physical abilities, and charge repeatedly for work that has already been performed or is never actually performed.

If you are thinking about hiring a contractor, you may want to check out the State of California's Department of Consumer Affairs' Contractors State Licensing Board Website.

Have you been approached by a contractor? Have you seen flyers or solicitors in your neighborhood?