Resident told to purchase money card to avoid power shutoff
Kennett Square Police are investigating a report of theft that they hope will also serve as a warning to residents about a scam involving utility payments.
Police said on Sept. 4, a resident of the 500 block Center Street reported that someone claiming to be a PECO representative had called on Aug. 31 at 4:30 p.m. and said the electricity bill was past due and would be turned off within the hour unless a payment was made through a $500 Green Dot MoneyPak card. The victim was told to call back with the access code after purchasing the card, police said. The victim complied, was told the card was no good, and was instructed to purchase another for $250, police said. The resident, who bought the second card, told police that a company had recently offered lower rates than PECO and sought account information, which the victim supplied. Police advised the victim that supplying such information facilitated the scam and that residents should never provide account information unless they initiate the contact.
Sometime overnight on Aug. 31, a residence in the 400 block of Hessian Drive was egged, police said. An investigation is continuing.
Police are also investigating a report of theft sometime overnight on Sept. 3. Police said a book bag containing textbooks, change, and an iPad was taken from a vehicle parked in the 600 block of West Linden Street. The book bag, missing one textbook, the change, and the iPad were recovered a short time later in the same area, police said.
Sometime between Sept. 1 and Sept. 4, someone broke into several vehicles parked at a business in the 400 block of East State Street, police said. Two car radios and a scan tool were taken, police said, adding that the investigation continues.
Police said they are also investigating the theft of a GPS unit from a vehicle parked in the 400 block of West Linden Street sometime between 2 and 8 a.m. on Sept. 4.
Kennett Square Police said they arrested George Esterling IV, 22, of Hockessin, De., for driving under the influence on Sept. 6 at 1:33 a.m. following a traffic stop in the 200 block of South Union Street. Esterling was released to a relative pending a summons from district court.
Police said they are investigating a report of criminal mischief that occurred sometime between 7:50 and 8:15 p.m. on Sept. 4. A piece of construction equipment parked in the 500 block of South Broad Street was vandalized, police said, adding that an investigation is continuing.
