RICHMOND, VA — A 39-year-old man was arrested this week after a string of reports about a fake “gas meter inspector” entering fenced backyards across a Richmond suburb turned out to involve no theft, no vandalism, and no meters — only a man in a reflective vest who, by his own admission, simply “wanted to pet some dogs.”

Wendell Carl Boyette allegedly purchased a generic reflective safety vest and a clipboard and spent several afternoons knocking on doors claiming to need “backyard meter access.” Once admitted to the yards, however, residents reported that Boyette ignored all utility equipment entirely and instead made a beeline for the family dog, whom he would pet, praise, and in several cases photograph, before thanking the homeowner and leaving.

No Theft, Just Treats

The pattern was identified after multiple neighbors compared notes and realized the “inspector” never actually inspected anything and had, on at least three occasions, left dog treats behind. One homeowner noted that Boyette had told her golden retriever it was “the best boy in this whole zip code,” a claim he made to at least four other dogs in the same neighborhood.

“He didn’t steal anything. He didn’t touch the meters. He just wanted to pet dogs. He carried treats. He knew their names by the second visit. It’s the gentlest case of criminal trespass I’ve ever filed and I genuinely struggled with the paperwork.” — Officer Danielle Hooks, Richmond PD

Boyette was booked into the Richmond City Jail on charges of criminal trespass and impersonating a utility worker. He expressed remorse, telling officers he “just missed having a dog” after his own had passed away. His JailReport.lol booking has been filed under Wholesome Criminal, where commenters have overwhelmingly requested leniency and several have offered to let him pet their dogs legally. Bond was set at $1,000.