Councilman Jones calls for hearings to investigate robbers posing as utility workers

At Thursday’s City Council meeting, Fourth District Councilman Curtis Jones Jr. introduced a resolution calling for public-safety committee hearings into a police “crime alert” warning of cases in which robbers pose as municipal-utility workers.

The resolution passed unanimously at a meeting which was abbreviated so councilmembers could attend the funeral of fallen Fire Capt. Michael Goodwin.

While the alert was issued last year, Jones’ resolution states that it remains a problem, though none of the specific cases cited in the resolution occurred in Northwest Philadelphia.

“Since the original Crime Alert was issued, a number of similar crimes by suspects impersonating PECO workers and Philadelphia Water Department field staff have been committed against citizens, especially elderly persons in their seventies and eighties,” the resolution reads (PDF).

The yet-scheduled hearings will “investigate and review the issue of impersonation of City utility workers in the commission of burglaries and other crimes against elderly victims and other Philadelphians.”

39th District police honors delayed

There were no resolution presentations Thursday, so Eighth District City Councilwoman Cindy Bass will honor six Philadelphia police officers for their heroic actions after a minivan crashed into a Lehigh Avenue church’s daycare in December (PDF) at a future meeting.