At least 2 homes approached on Labor Day

The so-called “snake scam” in the Bay Area has slithered its way into Roseville, with burglars posing as animal control officers, asking to check the homes of unsuspecting residents for poisonous snakes, police say.

Dee Dee Gunther, a spokeswoman for the Roseville Police Department, said scammers approached at least two homes on Labor Day. In the first incident, the resident heard about the scam and did not fall for it.

In the second case, Janice Piazza let the scammer inside, and was very sorry she did so.

For her, it started with a late-afternoon door knock by someone carrying pictures of snakes on a clipboard. She said that the woman wore khaki pants and a navy blue shirt with a city of Roseville logo.

“She stated that she was in the area to alert homeowners that there were poisonous snakes loose in the area,” Piazza told KCRA 3. “She said they are looking to find places where they want to set traps in the backyards.”

So, Piazza let her into the home.

“She kept encouraging me, (saying), I’d like your husband to come outside with us to the backyard,” she said.

Piazza said no, since her husband, who uses a wheelchair, was resting in the bedroom.

“It wasn’t until later that I realized she, in some type of way, she was communicating with someone (outside),” she recalled.

Police believe the scammer was relaying information to at least one other person outside, as the one with Piazza spent nearly half an hour looking for snake holes and scrutinizing the shed.

The second scammer entered the house and stole cash from the purse on the counter and took jewelry from the bedroom, said Piazza, who discovered those items missing the next day.

“I think that really sucks. If anything, it’s making me very aware that I really need to be more watchful and not as trusting,” she said.

Gunther said given that scammers in the Bay Area struck different cities very quickly, she would not be surprised if they did the same thing in the Sacramento region.

Gunther also said it’s very unusual for city or utility workers to make unsolicited visits, and said people should double check by calling the city department or utility company if they’re unsure.

She also advised that people should alert police to any suspicious activity.

THE STOLEN MAIL, UP TO 10 MALES FOR THE UNAUTHORIZED DEVICES AND UP TO TWO YEARS FOR IDENTITY THEFT. THE SO-CALLED SNAKES CAN HAS BEEN SLITHERING ITS WAY INTO ROSEVILLE. BURGLARS POSE AS INSPECTORS LOOKING FOR POISONOUS SNAKES. RIGHT NOW, ROSEVILLE POLICE KNOW OF TWO CASES. IN THE FIRST CASE, THE HOMEOWNER DOES NOT FALL FOR THE SCAM. BUT IN THE SECOND CASE, THE HOMEOWNER LETS THEM INTO HER HOME AND IS VERY SORRY SHE DID. IT HAPPENED ON LABOR DAY WITH SOMEONE CARRYING WISHERS OF SNAKES ON A CLIPBOARD. JANICE GAZZA SAYS THAT THEY WERE KHAKI AND BLUE UNIFORMS. SHE STATED THAT SHE WAS IN THE AREA TO ALERT THE HOMEOWNERS AND PEOPLE THAT THERE WERE POISONOUS SNAKES LOOSE IN THE AREA. SO SHE LET HER INTO THE BACKYARD. SHE ENCOURAGED ME TO BRING MY HUSBAND OUTSIDE WITH US. BUT SHE SAID HER HUSBAND WAS RESTING IN THE BEDROOM. THEN I REALIZED SHE HAD SOME TYPE OF COMMUNICATION WITH SOMEONE. THEY SPENT NEARLY HALF AN HOUR. VERY CONVINCING. LOOKING FOR SNAKE HOLES AND SCRUTINIZING THE SHED. SHE TOOK ABOUT 20 MEASUREMENTS IN HERE. IT WAS JUST TO BUY TIME. FOR ANOTHER SCAMMER TO ENTER THE HOUSE. THEY STOLE CASH FROM HER PURSE AND THEY COUNTER AND JEWELRY FROM THE BEDROOM. I THINK THAT REALLY SUCKS. YEAH. IF ANYTHING, IT'S MAKING ME VERY AWARE THAT I REALLY NEED TO BE MORE WATCHFUL AND NOT AS TRUSTING.