Be Careful, Butte: Strange Men Pretending to Be Officials

BUTTE, MT - A (un)necessary evil of living in Butte is the unfortunate problem involving crime over the recent years.

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Though, thankfully, Butte's rates are reportedly lower than the national average when it comes to violent crimes, property crimes are an unwelcome reality for most Butte citizens: 1 person in 23 are victims of property crime in the Copper City. So, what's going on? How are so many criminals getting away with these crimes?

One way, as recently reported by the community via Facebook, is impersonation. In other words, a stranger who goes up to your front door and pretends to be someone that they aren't, usually pretending to be someone with authority.

Why? Sometimes it's to "case" the property (find out the schedules of the residents, find out what possessions they have that are worth stealing, etc.) and other times it's to straight-up enter the property—and only God knows what they want to do from there.

Who They Are and How You Can Tell

So, who are they impersonating? And how can you tell when they are an impersonator? Reports of these criminal impersonators have included their methods: they'll say they're "conducting a public survey," "checking something out for the solar company," or, in this most recent case, "performing a site survey for NorthWestern Energy."

When the strange man was asked to present identification from NorthWestern Energy, he told the homeowner that he didn't have any and allegedly fled the scene. The kicker? The man was identified by someone else in the comments, who claimed the man was at their residence just hours prior, only this time changing his story: the strange man said he was working on a solar project.

Also, just last week, photos were posted on the Butte 411 Facebook Group about two unidentified men looking over fences and through windows of a Butte citizen's house. They left the scene after a neighbor walked towards them to confront them.

So, what do you do when strange people come up to your doorstep or walk around your property? It all may sound redundant, but it's important to be reminded: first, call the police immediately; second, if you can, ask to see some I.D. without opening your door; lastly, keep an eye out for your neighbors and their property, just as most do for you. We're stronger as a community.

Also, Montana is a "Stand Your Ground" state. Just thought to throw that in there.