A man poses as a firefighter and asks to inspect a home. Now investigators are looking for the impostor and warning homeowners.

The man said he was a Cadott firefighter and wanted to check fire extinguishers and smoke detectors in the home. But, the Chippewa County Sheriff's Department says there's no door to door programs like that anywhere in the county.

"It's real good. Everyone's friendly. We think it's safe," says Joe Siverling, describing his neighborhood just north of Cadott.

That’s why hearing a fake firefighter was in the area came as quite a shock.

"It’s kind of scary," Siverling says holding his one-year-old son Gavin.

Investigators say a woman reported the man coming to her door on Saturday dressed in blue jeans and a white button down shirt in an attempt to look like someone with the fire department. When she turned him away, he walked around the house and looked in windows.

"That raises our concern that there is some other motive. It may be another indicator that someone is looking for what a person may have to then come back and steal or commit property damage," says Capt. Eugene Gutsch.

Captain Gutsch says always check for a badge or an I.D; never trust just a t-shirt or jacket that says "fire department" or "police."

"That is one thing we do hold extremely high is the trust of the public,” Gutsch says. “For that to be compromised is very much a concern."

It’s a concern that surprised some in the small community; while others say they just hope he doesn't try to come to their house.

"After all the bank robberies and stuff going on, the economy is pushing people to do it," says Cal Marion in Cadott.

"It's a quiet area. You wouldn't expect that around here! What can you do? If they catch him, throw him in the coop,” says Carolyn Marion in Cadott.

Besides wearing jeans and the white button down, the man is described as white, clean shaven, and around 5'5 and 170 pounds. The man walked away from the home. The woman didn't see a car.

If you have any information on this case, you should call the Cadott Police Department at (715) 289-4238 or the Chippewa County Sheriff's Department at (715) 726-7701.

Courtesy WEAU