Police warn Macedonia about snow shoveling scam

The Macedonia Police Department has been alerted to a snow shoveling scam in the city and officials are warning residents to be on the look out for suspicious activity. 

Police said in a Facebook post on Wednesday that dispatch received a call from a resident concerned about a person who knocked on her front door the day before. She told police when she didn't answer the door, the suspects walked around the house and into the backyard to look through the windows of the home. She said the suspects walked back to the front and knocked again and she answered the door. They said they were there to clean her home. She said no one called anyone for cleaning and the suspects left. 

It's possible, police said, that the homeowner stopped the suspects from breaking into her home by answering the door. However, it was unhelpful that police weren't notified of the incident until a day later. 

On Thursday, the police department posted to Facebook again since residents were contacting police immediately when a similar situation occurred.

A caller told police two suspects knocked on several doors asking to shovel snow. Someone answered the door at two of three homes. When no one answered at the third home, the suspects walked around to the back of the house and partially opened the back door. The two residents who answered their doors for the suspects called police and officers were able to catch the suspects not far from the area. 

Witnesses said the suspects didn't appear to be dressed appropriately to shovel snow and they passed up several homes to get to the ones in the very back of the development. 

Police said:

We've covered this before and will do it again now. Call the police immediately when something suspicious happens. Its not just strangers at your door. It could be anything out of the ordinary. Give the dispatcher the description of the subjects and vehicle if possible and direction of travel if they leave. The second point, we encourage people to answer their door when strangers knock. This is the point that some people just don't understand. NO ONE IS SAYING OPEN YOUR DOOR TO STRANGERS. By answering it means to acknowledge to the stranger you are inside either by speaking through a locked, closed door or through an upstairs window or any other means while keeping yourself secure in your structure. I would also suggest to have a phone (preferably old traditional land line) with you so you can quickly call 911 in case there is a problem or to give descriptions to the dispatcher.