2 Attempted Ruse Burglaries In Hinsdale: Cops

HINSDALE, IL — Two attempted ruse burglaries occurred Tuesday afternoon near York Road and The Lane in Hinsdale, police said.

The suspects purported to be from a public utility company. Police provided no other information about the burglaries, including the descriptions of suspects.

A ruse burglary is where one person, posing as a service worker, distracts and engages homeowners in conversation while a second burglar enters the home and removes valuables.

Hinsdale police said public utilities do not make unannounced house calls. Police urged people to call 911 if someone shows up at a door for an inspection or service that is not requested.

On Friday, a man entered a back door of an Elmhurst house asking to check the resident's water, claiming the neighbor's water line broke, police said. The man was asked to leave, and he did.

The Elmhurst case resembles a ruse burglary, except ruse burglars typically knock or ring the doorbell first.