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People pretending to be energy workers are attempting to access homes without power and victimize occupants during one of Texas’ worst winter storms, police in Houston are warning.
Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo says he’s received reports of fake CenterPoint energy workers attempting to gain access to homes as millions across the nation are enduring rolling blackouts amid a deep freeze.
“We have reports of scofflaws impersonating [CenterPoint Energy] employees to gain access to homes to victimize occupants,” wrote Acevedo.
“Restoring outages in our area due to severe weather does not require entering residences.”
Chief Acevedo did not elaborate on reports of criminal mischief.
News of the opportunistic criminals comes as a winter blast has decimated the power grid in Texas and across the US, as controlled outages and rolling blackouts have left millions without electricity as freezing temperatures impact numerous states nationwide.