Are teenagers robbing homes in the backcountry section of Greenwich, CT?

 from Greenwich Time newspaper

Police say there is no truth to an e-mail circulating around town warning residents that a group of teenagers is robbing houses in the backcountry.

“We have not received any complaints that I am aware of involving home robberies of that nature,” said Lt. Daniel Allen, department spokesman.

The e-mail, with “FYI” in the subject line, claims a source close the Greenwich Police Department said there is a band of teenagers who cruise areas near Round Hill and Pecksland roads, knocking on doors and pretending they have a lost dog. The teenagers, who the e-mail claims are good actors, ask to use the telephone and rob victims who let them in.

The e-mail urges residents to keep their eyes open and alert neighbors.

“If there are people in the community who have been a victim of such an offense, we the police department would like to know about it so we can investigate it and determine who these people are,” said Allen, who noted that the department has dealt with misleading e-mail messages before.

In one previous instance, an elderly man with dementia wandered into a home, startling two children who lived there.

“Subsequently an e-mail was sent out by someone who knew the family and they alerted the community about the gentleman and urged people to watch their children,” said Allen.

“They didn’t know the circumstances about the situation, but it did cause alarm in the community.”

Allen said miscommunications like these can be avoided if people in the