Crime & Safety
'City Worker' Was Really a Burglar
While Lake Forest homeowner was in the backyard with a man impersonating a city employee, his partner was inside the house stealing the resident's personal belongings.
The city of Lake Forest is warning residents to be wary of strangers looking to get onto their property—even when the strangers say they're city workers.
About two weeks ago, according to Lake Forest Police Services, a man posing as a city worker told a resident he needed to evaluate the property's trees as part of the city's fire prevention requirements.
The resident and the man were in the backyard about an hour, according to the city, during which time a burglar entered the home and stole personal belongings.
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The city's police services urges residents to ask for proper identification when dealing with those claiming to be government employees. Authorities also ask residents to report suspicious activity to the Orange County Sheriff's Department, at (949) 770-6011.
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