More Details On Hinsdale Ruse Burglaries

HINSDALE, IL — Two Hinsdale residents about a block from each other were the victims of ruse burglars last week, police said.

Police indicated the incidents were related. They happened within minutes of each other.

At 1:20 p.m., two men showed up at a resident's door in the 500 block of North York Road. They claimed to be with the water department and that she needed to turn on her water to various faucets in her house, police said.

The victim told police she found that jewelry was missing from her house afterward.

The first suspect was described as white, having a large build, and wearing dark pants, a bright yellow shirt and a face shield. The other one was described as black, having an average build, and wearing dark pants and a navy T-shirt.

Five minutes earlier, a man came to the front door of a house in the 100 block of The Lane and claimed he was doing landscaping at a neighbor's house and asked her to step out so that he could show her where the work would be done, according to a police report. The suspect was not allowed in the house and left in a white van, police said.

The man was described as Hispanic, having a large build, and wearing a black face covering and a yellow reflective vest.

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.

Police advise residents not to engage with people who arrive unannounced and claim to be service workers.