Duo Used Ruse To Burglarize Area Homes, Police Ask For Tips

CARY, IL — A pair of burglars who used a ruse to gain access to a home in Cary Tuesday afternoon may have also struck homes in Palatine, Barrington Hills and Algonquin, police said. The Cary Police Department is asking for the public's help in tracking the duo down.

During the Cary incident, officers were called to the 700 block of Bayberry Drive in the Fox Trail subdivision at about 4:50 p.m. after a man in his 30s came to the home and distracted the homeowner by walking with them to their backyard to discuss tree-trimming work, according to a news release from the police department. While in the backyard, a second person went into the home and stole items from a master bedroom.

Authorities said the duo was spotted in a silver or gray Chevy Blazer style vehicle, which did not have license plates, but did have stickers on the rear window. Police believe the same vehicle was used during similar burglaries in Algonquin, Barrington Hills and Palatine.

Ruse burglary crews typically target elderly homeowners who they believe to be alone at the time they visit the home, according to authorities. Police remind residents that village employees or utility workers will not ask to enter your home.

Residents should also not talk with people who claim to have work that needs to be done at your home that you are not aware of or have not hired anyone to complete. Residents should not allow themselves to be lured away from their home or distracted by people outside their home and should call 911 to report suspicious activity, police said.

The Cary Police Department is asking residents in the Fox Trails subdivision to check their video doorbell and other home security camera footage for any information that may be useful in this investigation. Anyone with information can contact the Cary Police Department investigations section at 847-639-2341.