Fake Landscaper Nabbed Over Deerfield Ruse Burglary: Police

DEERFIELD, IL — A Chicago man faces felony burglary and theft charges after allegedly carrying out at least two home burglaries by talking himself into houses. Sandy Baker, 42, of the 4400 block of North Spaulding Avenue in Chicago, was arrested Thursday at his residence on a July 28 warrant resulting from an investigation into a June 27 ruse burglary in unincorporated Deerfield when he and one or more accomplices allegedly pretended to be landscapers in order to lure a homeowner outside, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

After Baker was taken into custody, sheriff's detectives concluded that he was also behind another ruse burglary that took place on June 20 in Long Grove. As a result, Baker was charged with a second count of residential burglary, a class 1 felony, and a second count of class 3 felony theft in connection with the reported Long Grove incident.

A ruse burglary often involves a team of thieves who use false pretenses, sometimes pretending to be local government workers, contractors or landscapers, to distract residents and get them outside of their homes. Once the targeted residents leave their house, the burglars go inside and take whatever valuables they can, usually making off with jewelry, cash and other easily transported valuables. Ruse burglars and crews commonly target senior citizens.

“Please remind your loved ones and neighbors of this type of crime. Ruse burglars appear polite and are usually well dressed, which is part of their ruse," Sheriff Mark Curran said. "If you didn’t make a service appointment or invite someone to your home, never let an unknown, uninvited person inside, and don’t exit your house to speak to the person.” (Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest news for Deerfield — or your community. And iPhone users: Check out Patch's new app.)

Baker was apprehended by members of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Warrants Team, the Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force of the US Marshals, the Northern Regional Major Crimes Task Force, and detectives from the Illinois State Police Ruse Burglary Task Force.

Baker was being held at the Lake County Jail on $200,000 bail as of Tuesday. He is due in court in Waukegan Thursday.

Because the incident remains under investigation, a spokesperson for the Lake County Sheriff's office was unable to go into further detail about Baker's alleged accomplices or the vehicle that was used.

_{Top photo: Sandy Baker booking photograph | Lake County Sheriff's Office}