Chatham Township Police Department Home Page

Recently we received information regarding suspicious activity anonymously via letter. We always appreciate information of this type but in this case we could use a little more detail from the writer of the letter such as a timeframe of the activity and the frequency it occurs. You can call Crime Stoppers at 973-COP-CALL or our desk at 973-377-0100 and ask to speak with a detective. You can remain anonymous.

Over the past few months we have experienced a number of burglaries to homes under construction. Various items have been stolen including generators, scaffolding, and air powered tools. If you should see activity at these sites during times when work is not typically in progress, please call us at 973-377-0100.

HOME IMPROVEMENT FRAUD

Each year when the weather turns nice, itinerant crews of roofers, pavers and day laborers travel from city to city, driving through neighborhoods and mobile home parks looking for victims -- mostly the elderly. Sometimes they offer to pave your driveway, repair your roof, or paint your house with supplies left over from another job.

This is just a scam. The repair work is completed very quickly, the quality is poor and the "repairs usually cost more than the original estimate.

A BUNCO artist working a home improvement scheme usually drives a commercial van or pickup truck through a residential area. Stopping to talk to a person working in a yard the BUNCO artist offers to spray the roof, coat the driveway or fertilize the lawn with materials left over from another job. Because the price quoted is low, the person does not ask for a written estimate.

After the work is done, the BUNCO operator asks to be paid a higher amount than the quoted price. The person is told materials used are stolen, and the BUNCO artist threatens to call the police or uses sheer intimidation if the higher price is not paid. To make matters worse, the materials used are often inferior. The roof coating might be whitewash, the driveway coating, motor oil, and the fertilizer made of sawdust and oil.

Before home repairs are made, deal with and compare estimates from several reputable companies. Verify identification of persons offering to make low priced repairs. If you are suspicious of the repair person, call local law enforcement immediately and give descriptions of the person and vehicle.

WARNING SIGNS

The repairperson drives an unmarked truck or van with an out-of-state license.
The worker has no business identification, local address or telephone number.
You are offered a "special price" if you sign today.
The worker wants upfront cost or fees, or accepts only cash.
No written estimates or contracts are provided.
The worker does not have any references.
The offer sounds "too good to be true"
The vehicles have out of state license plates
The worker cannot provide any contractor's license, permits, insurance, or bonding information.

The police communications desk receives numerous calls from residents about power loss. The police department is not always aware of the cause or how long until it will be restored. Calling police headquarters to ask about the power loss may cause unnecessary delay for dispatchers to handle urgent matters. If you lose power you are urged to call 1-800-544-4877 (1-800-LIGHTSS) and report the outage to JCP&L. We also recommend you select the option to be notified via telephone callback when your power is restored. Reporting your power outage to JCP&L is the fastest way to document your outage. JCP&L states that when homeowners report their outages directly to them it allows them to pinpoint the problem in a more expeditious manner.

IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE WITH POWER FOR MEDICAL EQUIPMENT DURING AN OUTAGE, PLEASE CALL 973-377-0100.

Citizens who have information relating to crimes, criminal activity or wanted persons (fugitives) can call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We offer the citizens of Morris County direct and easy access to their law enforcement community. Reward and anonymity are the incentive. Making Morris County a safer place to live is the benefit!