False Police Report Has Photographer Worried About Business
DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - Reports of a violent home invasion have turned out to be false. Now the bogus claim has a photographer worried about business.
Deputies warned the public about a trio of people going door-to-door selling aerial photographs. They were allegedly casing homes, and in one instance, deputies said they robbed a disabled resident.
CBS4's Michelle Griego talked to a woman who has a legitimate business selling aerial photographs and got caught up in what investigators now call a case of false reporting.
Carolyn, who didn't want her last name published, was working in the neighborhood where investigators said the home invasion took place. It wasn't until a friend told her about the story that she realized she could be considered a suspect.
Carolyn enjoys her job going door-to-door selling aerial photographs of homes, but she never thought it could link her to a crime.
Michelle Rademacher with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office said the suspects "were posing as selling aerial photographs."
"They were talking about three people and the physical description really didn't work," Carolyn said.
But then she found out a gold or tan SUV was involved.
"That's when I realized there must be some connection to me," she said.
Carolyn called the police.
"While I was talking to him the call came over the radio that the whole thing was bogus, and I hollered, 'They set me up."
She was relieved but it quickly turned to concern.
"Then I tried to contemplate driving my gold SUV into someone's driveway with an aerial photo under my arm and thought, 'Oh dear, what might happen?'"
Her brother has run Sky High Photography for 15 years.
"Integrity is very important when you do business that's door-to-door," Carolyn said.
He just spent thousands of dollars shooting photos in the area.
"If I couldn't move that product for him he was going to be out a lot of money," Carolyn said.
Carolyn says even though there was no home invasion, there are still victims.
"Most directly me, indirectly my brother's company."
The person who made the claim could be charged with false reporting, which is a misdemeanor.
Carolyn says she will get back to work soon.
