Man Posed as Meter Reader, Stole Jewelry from Ridgewood Home

Ridgewood police are seeking a man they say posed as a utility employee last week in order to steal jewelry from a village home.

A Highwood Avenue resident reported that a man described as five-foot-nine, aged 20 to 30 with a beard came to her house Friday clad in a white hard hat and safety vest.

The man claimed to have had an appointment to check her gas and water lines, and distracted the homeowner by asking her to check the water in her kitchen, cops said.

While she was distracted, according to police, the man went upstairs and stashed jewelry in a pillowcase, leaving the house with the stolen goods.

Police departments in the area have warned of an uptick in burglaries, with the burglars often knocking on doors to scope out the house before the crime.

Detectives are investigating the Ridgewood incident, and anyone observing suspicious activity can report it to the department at 201-652-3900.