Caledonia police and the Racine County Sheriff’s Department are urging residents to be on the lookout for two male subjects who may be casing neighborhoods.
Officers were alerted around 3 p.m. Friday by residents in the neighborhood of 4-Mile and Short Roads that two males were going door-to-door giving away free samples of Clorox wipes. Witnesses described the subjects as one white male with light hair and one black male with dread locks. Another male subject was observed in a dark colored van or SUV that is low to the ground and might have gold trim.
One of the subjects wore an ID around his neck with words similar to “City of Racine Hawkers.”
“Fake door-to-door sales is a way to gain entry to a residence to steal from it,” CAPD posted on their Facebook page. “(This is) commonly called a ‘gypsy scam.'”
Officers urge residents to keep their doors locked even if they’re home, making sure the back door remains locked if the front door bell rings. Citizens are also asked to keep an eye on their neighbors’ homes for any suspicious activity.
Anyone going door-to-door in Caledonia is required to obtain a permit from the village and display it on demand.
“If anyone comes to your door and makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe, contact police,” the post concludes.
Deputies with the Sheriff’s Department have received similar reports from residents in Dover.
Anyone with information is encouraged to leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers at (262) 636-9330, via the website www.racine.crimestoppersweb.com, or by sending a text message to CRIMES (274637) and typing in TIP417 with your text message.