Dixon residents beware: Gang of thieves posing as city workers, police say

DIXON – Dixon residents are being warned of a gang of thieves posing as water department workers.

Dixon police received a call Monday afternoon from a resident in the 1000 block of South Galena Avenue who said a man wearing a yellow and green vest and carrying what looked to be city documents ask him to go into the back yard with him.

While in the yard, the worker talked to another person using a walkie-talkie, and when the homeowner went back into the house, items were missing, police said in a news release Wednesday.

Video surveillance from the neighborhood showed five suspects in a black Ford Edge.

—  Dixon police news release

Video surveillance from the neighborhood showed five suspects in a black Ford Edge, the release said.

Dixon water department workers use clearly marked city vehicles, wear uniforms with city logos on them, and don’t use walkie-talkies.

Scams like this have happened in Rockford and the rest of the region; this is the first time it has showed up in Dixon, the release said.