Cops Say Man Posed As Avista Worker

Spokane police arrested a man Wednesday who is accused of posing as an Avista employee to gain entry to homes by claiming he needed to check some aspect of their utilities.

Kevin J. Richard, 43, was arrested and booked into jail on charges of residential burglary, based on fraudulent statements he made to a homeowner to gain access, according to police spokesman Dick Cottam.

Police believe he was casing homes for possible future burglaries or that he picked up some small items at the time.

Officer Barbara Byington responded to several calls about 8 a.m. from the area of Government Way and Sunset. The callers said a man claiming to be from Avista was asking to be let in.

The man gave different reasons for entering the house, including that someone in the neighborhood was stealing power from Avista, according to Cottam. He asked to look inside and outside the residences and asked questions about residents.

The man wore a yellow hard hat and blue-and-white knit gloves. Real Avista employees carry photo identification.

Callers gave police the license number of the man’s gray station wagon. Byington saw the vehicle leaving the area and stopped it in the Rosauers’ parking lot at Third and Oak.

Richard told the officer he was in the neighborhood for several reasons, including that he was a landscape artist.