Vancouver police say they are investigating a report of a man pretending to be with the Vancouver Fire Department and asking for access to a home.
On Monday, a man knocked on the door of a home near East 35th Avenue and Main Street claiming to be with the fire department, conducting safety inspections.
He allegedly told the homeowner that he needed access to the entrances and exits of the home, including all entrances to the bedrooms.
The suspect returned later in the day and was allowed inside by a relative, who escorted the man through the house.
Get breaking National news
After the suspect left, the owner became suspicious and contacted City Hall the next day.
He was told that the fire department does not conduct inspections of private homes unless requested to in advance by the homeowner.
Police were called and have confirmed the man looking around their home was not working for the fire department.
“Clearly, this is someone who is looking for an opportunity to commit a crime or potentially casing the home for a later date,” say Brian Montague with the Vancouver police.
Montague says they are working with the home owner to make sure his valuables are secure and he reports any suspicious behavior.
The suspect is described as white, six feet tall, with medium build, weighing 170 to 180 pounds, with short, curly dirty-blonde hair.
He was carrying a clipboard and wearing a navy blue t-shirt with the “Fire Department” logo on the left chest.
“I can’t think of ever seeing this before,” says Montague. “It is concerning for us.”
He adds if someone from emergency services shows up on your front step, they should be able to provide you with a reason for their visit and identification.
- ‘They did it in a very sneaky way’: Uber rider deletes app after cleaning fee dispute over pet
- Piper James’ official cause of death was drowning as a result of a dingo attack
- Lapu Lapu victim’s family says bureaucratic red tape prevents them from getting help
- Hotel tower proposed near Stanley Park faces pushback from residents
-
![]()
‘Everybody was cheering’: Canadians return home from Middle East as war rages in region -
![]()
Mi’kmaw leaders condemn RCMP activity after several raids of First Nation storefronts -
![]()
Community groups urge New Brunswickers to run for local office ahead of upcoming municipal elections -
![]()
Halifax officials look to police and fire services for possible cuts ahead of municipal budget
Comments
Comments closed.
Due to the sensitive and/or legal subject matter of some of the content on globalnews.ca, we reserve the ability to disable comments from time to time.
Please see our Commenting Policy for more.