Distracted Elmhurst Woman Victim Of Burglary: Cops

ELMHURST, IL — An Elmhurst house was burglarized last week after a man who showed up distracted the resident, police said.

The burglary took place about 7 p.m. Thursday in the 500 block of North Kenilworth Avenue, police said.

According to a report, a man approached a woman's house and claimed he was sent to remove a tree branch from an electrical line. When the woman left the house to look at the damage, two other men entered the house through a side door, police said. The men left the house and rode away in a white SUV, the report said. Nothing appeared to be taken.

The men were described as white, in their early 20s, having average heights and builds, and wearing dark garments and face masks. One of the men was wearing a White Sox hat, while the others had on dark knit caps.

A ruse burglary is when one person distracts the homeowner while others enter the house and commit burglary. Police ask that residents call 911 when suspicious people show up, particularly those who have no markings from the organizations they claim to represent.

Utilities such as ComEd say their employees wear uniforms with their company logos and possess company badges.