JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville Heights is just one of three neighborhoods in which residents say they have been approached by people who claim to be working with security companies, but they don't have proper identification.
"He asked specifically for the homeowner and then said my first and last name, which is kind of what threw me off," says Amanda Fussell.
Amanda Fussell called Action News Jax saying she recognized a man who looks very similar to the man a neighbor in San Mateo told us about.
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A man claiming to work for the city was asking neighbors about home security. The city's response 10PM @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/OcuMySgtZg
— Danielle Avitable (@Danielle_NBC4) January 24, 2017
We first showed you the picture Monday night. It was taken by a homeowner in San Mateo. People there tell us he identified himself as someone who works for Adler Security, which we found out isn't even a licensed business in Florida.
That man claimed to be working with the city of Jacksonville, but Action News Jax reached out to the city and a spokesperson said the city doesn’t have any involvement with private security systems and this is not a part of any city programs.
Since the Action News Jax story aired, multiple people have contacted us saying they have had similar experiences. Fussell lives in a Westside neighborhood and said a similar-looking man came to her home over the weekend.
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"He had a little tablet that he had all of my information on and then proceeded to ask me about the security system sign I had, and about my security system," said Fussell.
She said she avoided giving him any information and he left, without ever having identified himself.
Martin Kohn, who lives in a Northside neighborhood 20 minutes away from Jacksonville Heights, contacted us with the same story.
He saw two men, on different days, wearing outfits similar to the one being worn by the man in the picture.
"Same little blue shirt, clipboard, long ID on and just walking the neighborhood," said Kohn.
Kohn said one of the men got into a white, unmarked van that had Texas license plates.
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He said he called the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.
Action News Jax crime and safety expert Ken Jefferson recommends calling the police, however he said it's hard for police to do anything since these people are not committing a crime. He has this advice for homeowners.
"If you are not expecting anyone, don't answer the door," Jefferson said.
"When you're someone knocking on the door as a potential burglar, it makes his job easier because now he knows who lives there, whether they are senior citizens or not, and he'll make a decision whether or not he wants to go back to the house," said Jefferson.
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