The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office has issued a warning to residents following a recent rise in diversion burglaries.

The prosecutor’s office said residents should be careful who they allow on their property, with thieves more frequently posing as utility workers. Officials said more than a dozen diversion burglaries have been reported in the county in the past few weeks.

In most of the scenarios, a thief impersonating a utility worker distracts the homeowners while an accomplice enters the home to take what he can.

Authorities said during the crime spree, the diversion burglars have also posed as municipal inspectors, handymen and law enforcement.

Officials said homeowners can protect themselves by taking the following precautions:

The prosecutor's office said that if there are any suspicions about a person's identity, residents should immediately contact their local police department.