Police warn about fake home alarm inspector in Marietta - Atlanta News, Weather, Traffic, and Sports | FOX 5

Police in Marietta are warning people about a man posing as an alarm inspector.

Claudette Redmond said a man approached her last week at her home in the Westland community and claimed he was inspecting alarm panels.

Redmond said the man was wearing a t-shirt, shorts and had a lanyard around his neck that said "inspector."

"The biggest thing that tipped me off was that fake badge he had around his neck.  I mean, any little 4-year-old could have made that," said Redmond. "He had no pictures, nothing."

Redmond said what the man said made no sense. He claimed he was checking out security systems.

"He said because a lot of the security systems, they tell you that it goes into the police station when it doesn't," said Redmond.

The homeowner said that the man was friendly at first, but became more persistent after she refused his service.

"We don't really know what this person's intentions were, but him falsely misrepresenting himself really poses a lot of concerns for us. Obviously if he's able to get inside of the home and inspect the panel, he's able to see how the panel works, where it's hooked up – or whether it's not hooked up. He's also able to see if there's any valuables or where alarm sensors or motion detectors are. Not to mention, he may have just been trying to gain access to the house so that he could actually commit a burglary right then," said Marietta Police Officer David Baldwin.

The man was described as a white man between 43 and 49 years old. He was around 5-feet-8 with a stocky build and short, sandy brown hair. He didn't wear glasses and was clean shaven.

Police urge residents to check with their alarm companies if they are approached by would-be inspectors and to call 911 about anyone suspicious.