Spate of south east London burglaries by fake Thames Water engineers

Officers from the SE BCU have revealed that the imposters have been approaching people’s homes, claiming to be carrying out work and requesting access to the property.

Thames Water and Met Police provided several tips to avoid a visit from fraudulent engineers.

Residents are urged to inspect worker ID at the doorway and the name of the worker, and their affiliated company should be validated, along with the presence of a company-branded vehicle.

The worker can be requested to wait in the vehicle or away from the home while the company is contacted to verify the individual’s identity.

Thames Water also said that if homeowners are not expecting a visit or any doubt surrounds the legitimacy of the workers, they should not allow them in.

To further safeguard customers, Thames Water operates a doorstep password system where the customer will be asked to provide their name and address and choose an eight-character long password which they can then ask the worker for at their door.

You can sign up for this online.

If the visitor claims to be from Thames Water, homeowners can 0800 316 9800 to double-check check their visitor is legitimate.

A spokesperson for Metropolitan Police said: “SE BCU officers have detected burglaries being committed by criminals pretending to be Thames Water engineers.

“These criminals are known to approach homes in the local area stating that works are taking place and that they need to check facilities within your home.

“Tips for detecting legitimacy include checking the ID of the worker at the door, confirm the workers name and the company they are from, look for a company van or vehicle with a logo.

“If you are still unsure, have the worker wait in their vehicle or away from your property and call the company.

“Lastly, if you are not expecting a visit or are unsure of the legitimacy of the worker, do not allow them into your home.”