Beloit police: Fake contractors committed wild home burglary on camera

BELOIT, Wis. - A wild burglary caught on camera in Beloit involved a man posing as a neighborhood contractor who distracted a homeowner while others sneaked in behind them, ransacking the house. 

A We Energies spokesman said while the video is shocking, it’s not unheard of for people to pose as utility workers to pull off this kind of crime.

On March 1, a man posing as a neighborhood contractor distracted the homeowner while his cronies sneaked in behind. He tapped on the glass to get her attention while they creeped in. 

"My heart breaks little bit obviously seeing this woman who is trying to be helpful," said Brendan Conway, We Energies. "We do occasionally see in-person scams like here. They’re less common but they’re certainly things you want to be aware of."

When in doubt, don't let them in.

"Call us if you have questions and someone comes to your door and you think they might be legitimate," said Conway. "Maybe they’re in a We Energies truck. Maybe they have the We Energies ID but you’re still not sure. Give us a call. We can confirm over the phone. Our employees will never, ever, ever, threaten somebody with disconnection any time of the year."

As a reminder, there is an energy moratorium in place due to the winter temperatures, as well as coronavirus pandemic regulations, so no company can shut off someone’s power for being behind on a bill.