Crime Watch: Copper Thefts on Rise, Business Scam

Copper Thefts on Rise

Roseville Police report seeing a resurgence of copper thefts recently, particularly in west Roseville. Between Aug. 12-13, copper pipes were taken from a work truck in the 2400 block of Everley Circle in West Park; and during the same time frame, copper wire was stripped from street lights in Veteran's Memorial Park North on Crocker Ranch Road, in the Blue Oaks neighborhood. 

Copper wire was also stripped from street lights in the 2100 block of Professional Drive, Aug. 21-22 and near Miner's Ravine Drive and Sierra College Blvd., Aug. 14-15 and in the 1000 block of Callawassie Way sometime between Aug. 20-23.

Police ask residents to keep an eye out for anyone messing with street poles or opening underground utility access points after hours, and call 911 immediately to report suspicious activity.

Scam Targets Business Owners

Roseville Police have also received information about a new scam targeting business bank account holders. Business owners are receiving fraudulent e-mails with the subject line: "FDIC: Your business account."  The fraudulent e-mails go on to say that business accounts and loans might be affected by acquiring bank relationships, offering vendors information about how they can file claims against the receivership.  The real FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) identified this as phishing scheme (a trick to get consumers to provide bank account information), and advises that they don't send out unsolicited e-mails to consumers or business account holders.  Police said they haven't received any reports that any Roseville businesses have fallen victim to this fraud scheme, but are passing the alert along.

Sweepstakes Scam

This past week, an elderly Roseville resident almost fell victim to a "sweepstakes scam," police report. He received calls from people identifying themselves as FBI agents or federal agents, telling them that he had won a sweepstake.  The scam artists asked him to purchase a prepaid cash card to show them when they showed up at his door to give him his winnings.  Fortunately when he went to his bank to withdraw the money, the bank teller recognized the situation as a scam, stopped him from withdrawing funds, and notified police.

Police tips on scams:

• If anything sounds too good to be true, it is.
• You will never win the Canadian lottery, or any other sweepstake or lottery you don't remember entering.
• Don't believe anyone who tells you you've won a big monetary prize, but need to provide your bank account information for the money transfer, pay foreign taxes or a handling fee. Ditto for "work at home" schemes.
• Don't believe anyone who asks you to handle a large money transaction for them in exchange for a share ("Nigerian money transfer scams").
• A huge red flag: requests to wire money. Once the money's been picked up on the other end, it's gone. You can't get it back.
• Don't trust anyone who pressures you to send money right away.
• Get in the habit of talking over financial matters with a trusted family member first, before investing or giving money to anyone.

Vehicle Theft, DUI, Burglary

At 8:47 a.m. on Aug. 21, officers responded to a report of a blue Nissan sedan being driven recklessly in the area of Roseville Parkway and Galleria Boulevard.  Officers located the vehicle in an apartment complex parking lot in the 1100 block of Roseville Parkway, and arrested the driver, a 25-year-old Sacramento resident, on suspicion of DUI, possession of stolen property, vehicle theft and burglary. The burglary charge was in connection with the shoplifting of some liquor from a Roseville grocery store.  The Nissan sedan he was driving had been stolen from Fair Oaks.

Vehicle Fire

At 2:40 a.m. on Aug. 18, officers and fire personnel responded to a vehicle fire in the parking lot of the Quail Ridge Apartments.  The fire appears to have been deliberately set by an unknown suspect.