Crime & Safety
Four Scammers Trick 81-Year-Old, Pose As Water Inspectors, Police Say
While one looked at pipes, three more entered the house. An arrest is merely an accusation, not evidence of a conviction.
An 81-year-old Niles woman said a tall thin man wearing an orange jacket, which she described as a "village" jacket, came to her door on Dec. 27 at about 4:15 p.m., saying he needed to come in and check her water pipes, according to a police report. While he went under her sink to look at pipes, three other men came in and went downstairs, then left out the front door. The first man then told her not to use her water until after 5 p.m., then left the home. The victim felt uneasy and called police, who came to check the house and found two closet doors open. Police are investigating.
Shirt Thief Says He 'Can't Go Back To Jail'
A security agent at a Golf Mill Shopping Center store observed a 24-year-old man, whom he recognized as having committed a previous theft from the store, walk into a fitting room with a maroon shirt valued at $25, according to the report. When the agent did not find the shirt in the fitting room after the man left, he stopped the man just outside the store, and the 24-year-old handed over the shirt, which he had hidden under his coat, police said. The offender told the security agent, "I can't go back to jail," and took off running eastbound. Police said the offender has been notified he cannot enter the store or he will be arrested for criminal trespass.
Three Milwaukee Avenue Businesses Burglarized
Sometime between the afternoons of Dec. 27 or 28 and the morning of Dec. 30, three businesses were burglarized. They are: a hair salon in the 8100 block of Milwaukee Avenue and two retail stores in the 8800 block of Milwaukee Avenue. Police are investigating.
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