DATE: Saturday, May 10, 1997                TAG: 9705100373
SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B3   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY LARRY W. BROWN, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                    LENGTH:   31 lines

INVESTIGATORS SEARCHING FOR PHONY FIRE INSPECTOR

Fire investigators are looking for a man who posed as a fire inspector and defrauded at least one merchant at Pembroke Mall.

Battalion Chief Mike Wade said the man showed false information, claiming he worked for the Virginia Beach Fire Prevention Office. The man said a new law had gone into effect and that the business needed its fire suppression equipment inspected. Wade said the man went to at least two businesses and received a large amount of money from one of the merchants, Wade said. They were investigating whether the man received money from any other business, Wade said.

The man's knowledge of fire suppression systems was thorough, Wade said.

The suspect was described as a dark-skinned white man in his late 20s, 6 feet tall with a muscular build and weighing 230 to 250 pounds. He has a scar in the center of his forehead. The man was last seen wearing dark pants and a dark shirt. He was carrying a clipboard and wearing a pager. He was also described as being polite and soft-spoken. Wade said that anyone who works for the Virginia Beach Fire Department has a fire identification card with the person's rank and photo. The department does not service any fire protection systems or equipment.

Anyone with information may call the investigators' office at 427-4228 or Crime Solvers at 427-0000. ILLUSTRATION: Police sketch of the suspect.

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu