Royal Oak homeowner finds items missing after fake city worker knocks on door

Items missing from home after fake city worker targets home in Royal Oak

ROYAL OAK, Mich. – Royal Oak Police are looking for a man posing as a city worker after an elderly couple was robbed in the 2800 block of Crooks Road Monday afternoon.

The suspect claimed he was a surveyor from the city and told the 88-year-old homeowner he would need to cut some trees in his yard down. The suspect took the homeowner outside for more than 30 minutes while discussing the work.

After the suspect left, the elderly man noticed someone had been inside of his home where they stole money, bonds, jewelry and the title to his car. Police believe there was a second person involved who entered the home while the homeowner was distracted.

"There have been a lot of people coming to the doors these days," said neighbor, Mary Brown. "I am just glad my chocolate lab scares them off every now and then."

Brown and her family live down the street from where the incident happened and tell Local 4 every time they hear a knock at the door, they treat it as a red flag.

"We have flyers in our door a few times a week, which means these people are on our properties and lawns and you never know what they want or what they're after," said Brown's husband, Bill.

The suspect is described as a white man, 20 to 30 years old, standing 5 feet 7 inches and weighing 140 pounds. He has short black hair, brown spots on his face and neck and he was wearing a short-sleeve, button-down shirt and light blue casual pants.

Police say the man was not an employee with the city of Royal Oak. In this case, the suspect never showed any credentials and the homeowner did not ask to see them.

Police say if an individual comes to your home to solicit work, always ask to see their ID. If a suspected worker is a fake, call police immediately.

The city of Royal Oak is working on passing an ordinance to limit the amount of hours of commercial solicitation.

View: Royal Oak ordinance amendment