‘Environmentalist’
sought access
to homes of
elderly residents

By Mary Garrison
Tribune-Courier Features Editor
mgarrison@tribunecourier.com

FAIRDEALING – At 80-years-old, Hazel Colson of the Fairdealing area is as sharp as she’s ever been, and it has served her well.

Last week, a man Colson described as having dark hair and estimated to be in his 60s, approached her door at the intersection of Hwy. 408 and U.S. Hwy. 68 and asked if he could come inside to take a water sample.

“He told me he was an environmentalist, and he was checking the water,” Colson said. “I told him my water was fine, I didn’t want it checked.”

Colson said she became suspicious when the subject asked more than once if she would be home that evening.

“I told him ‘we’ would,” she said. “He didn’t put up a fuss, and I didn’t let him in.”

Colson called her sister-in-law down the road, Frances Burkeen, and gave her a warning.

“I told her if someone comes by and knocks on the door not to answer,” Colson said.

And while the stranger never made it by to Burkeen’s home, Jonathan Creek Water office manager Barb York said he did visit three homes that day. All of the residents were elderly women.

“Ms. Burkeen called yesterday afternoon and asked if we were taking water samples,” York said.

York’s husband Matt manages Jonathan Creek Water District operations. York said twice a month he collects seven water samples from select locations and takes them to a lab in Paducah for screening. He does not need to enter any home to do so.

“There was one [resident] that called over on 408, one on Salem-Chapel North and one up on Hwy. 68,” York said. “We called [Sheriff] Kevin Byars and let him know about it.”

After speaking with the residents in question, Byars said he felt the “environmentalist” was attempting to gain access to the homes.

“This is someone preying on the elderly,” Byars said. “He was dressed nicely, in khakis and a Polo shirt, but there were no identifying logos or markings or anything. Fortunately, no one let him inside.”

Similarly, Byars said the the subject was reportedly driving a black van with no identifying markings.

Byars said no reports had come in from any other area of the county. The matter is still under investigation.

Anyone with further information is urged to contact crimestoppers at 527-COPS.