A pair of occupied vans parked on the corner of North Marshall Avenue and Fesler Street in El Cajon has caused some employees from nearby businesses to become uneasy. According to local workers, the vans (one red and one tan) have been parking at the location during the past week.

On Friday, February 5, one of the vans was approached by concerned citizens. The two men inside the van were described as “shabby looking” and were seen doing work on a laptop. One of the men in the van reportedly pulled out an old piece of paper and said they were doing network work for Cox and Cricket. When the men were asked to move elsewhere, they parked the van across the street in a Smart & Final parking lot.

“[The] whole thing was very odd,” said a man who confronted the people in the van. The same man contacted Cox Communications to find out whether or not work was being done in the area. Cox was unable to verify that the men were working for their company. People in the neighborhood suspected that the two men were stealing internet service.

After looking into the incident over the weekend, El Cajon police confirmed that Cox is doing work in the area.

“Cox [Communications] is conducting 'signal strength' tests in El Cajon until the end of April. They are using private contractors who are driving unmarked vans,” said Sgt. Fenton Sue. He advised that if more “suspicious vehicles” are spotted, citizens should contact police and give a complete description of the vehicle and passengers. He said ECPD will be able to verify if they are working for Cox.