San Diego police are putting out the call to residents to question who they let into their home. In the wake of several incidents wherein suspects posed as utility workers to gain entrance to a victim’s home, investigators are urging trusting residents to be vigilant when opening their doors. A scam targeting elderly residents has recently been the object of investigations by police, said Lt. Jim Filley of the police department’s Elder Abuse Division. Filley said suspects have been working in pairs to steal valuables from victims’ homes. Over the last three to four months, he said, there have been about seven cases in which one suspect approaches a resident at home posing as a worker from a utility company — the water company, cable or SDG&E — and fabricates the story of a possible water or gas main leak. While the suspect distracts the resident, a second suspect enters the home and steals items of value. The cases have happened mostly in northeastern San Diego, including La Jolla, Carmel Valley, Mira Mesa and Clairemont, and all victims have been older than 70. Investigators, Filley said, haven’t had any leads on suspects, mostly due to poor physical descriptions. “[The descriptions] are usually pretty general, and unless we catch someone in the act or get a tip from Crime Stoppers, we’re still flying blind,”?he said. Filley advised residents to be on the lookout for such a hoax, and to remember that if a crime is “predictable, it’s preventable.” “One thing to remember is that no utility companies, whether it’s water, SDG&E or cable utilities, ever go into your home without a pre-approved appointment, unless it’s an emergency evacuation of some sort,” he said. “None will just show up randomly and say they need to check something without prior approval. It’s perfectly acceptable to ask for identification or call the utility company and ask what they’re doing there. There are a lot of things you can do to prevent something like this.” Filley urged residents to question anyone asking to come onto their property. Anyone who has tips on burglary suspects posing as utility workers should call Crime Stoppers at (888) 540-8477.