Bogus Sky TV technician raises suspicions

File photo / NZ Herald

A man who claimed to be checking the Sky reception at a Waikato property last week may have been scoping it out as a potential burglary target, police say.

The man, who was wearing a Sky Television shirt, pulled up at the property on Te Wiata Lane, Ngaruawahia, about 11.40am on Wednesday.

"The lady at the address answered the door to find a man with an English accent aged about 50 years old who had thinning ginger hair claiming he was there to check her Sky reception," said Senior Sergeant Gill Meadows.

"But when the woman said she was unwell and it wasn't convenient he told her he had to do it now as he had other places to go to and barged right in, grabbed the woman's TV remote and turned the telly on."

The man then walked outside and began photographing the Sky dish on the roof before going back to his van, where he sat for several minutes before driving off.

"The family thought it odd behaviour as they hadn't called Sky about any fault and the man didn't have any identification with him, though he was wearing a Sky shirt and had a clipboard with him," Ms Meadows said.

Sky had no record of a workman being sent to the address and police believed the man may have been checking out the home as a potential burglary target.

"Offenders quite often use props to try and deflect cautious victims and by the way this man behaved, in coming into the house when he was told not to, makes both the homeowners and police suspect he was there for anything but installing pay for view television.

"To that end we want people in the area to be wary of any unsolicited tradesmen's visits."

Anyone with information about the mysterious technician or who has had similar experiences, should contact Ms Meadows on (07) 858 6200.