Portage Police are warning residents to beware of a tree-trimming scam.

According to police, at 1:20 p.m. on Thursday two Hispanic males lured an elderly female from her residence by claiming to be tree trimmers employed by NIPSCO. The woman exited her residence with one of the male subjects and went to the rear of her property to look at trees. Police said that she did not ask to inspect either subject’s identification.

While the woman was in the rear with one of the subjects, the other entered her residence and began looking around. He was surprised by the woman’s husband, and when confronted he immediately exited the residence and contacted his partner on a two-way radio.

The two subjects then met outside in the yard and subsequently left in a gray minivan of unknown make in the direction of U.S. Highway 20 from Armstrong Street.

Both subjects were dressed in work-type clothing and wore white hard hats. Their clothing had no identifying logos and they never displayed IDs. Both men spoke Spanish and English. One was described as short with salt and pepper hair and appeared to be in his fifties. The other was describing as having a medium build and appeared to be in his twenties.

Nothing was taken from the residence during the incident. The PPD advised residents to ask workers and others who come to the door for identification, never to let anyone inside without first seeing his ID, and never to accompany someone outside without seeing an ID.

NIPSCO, for its part, reminds customers that all NIPSCO employees carry identification and that a particular employee’s identity can be verified by calling (800) 464-7726.

Posted 1/4/2008