Crime & Safety
Worth Man Arrested in Connection to 2 Ruse Burglaries
Tommy Eli was charged with 2 counts of felony residential burglary thanks to a joint effort by Oak Forest police and a state police task force.
A state police task force investigating ruse burglaries arrested a Worth man in connection with two recent incidents in Oak Forest, according to reports.
Tommy Eli was arrested Dec. 10, and charged with two counts of felony residential burglary, according to a City of Oak Forest release. Eli is on parole for residential burglary in Chicago, the release added.
Police identified Eli as the "lead offender" in connection with two ruse burglaries in November. Both burglaries involved elderly residents, and Eli is accused of distracting the homeowners while his partners stole valuables from the bedrooms, the release stated.
READ: Burglary Scam Costs Oak Forest Couple a Bunch of Jewelry
Oak Forest Police Chief Greg Anderson said his department is working closely with the Illinois State Police's ruse burglary task force, which is still investigating the November burglaries. No other suspects in the burglaries have been identified or arrested.
"It's an area-wide problem, a city-wide problem," Anderson said, adding that the crews don't stick to one geographic location and change their tactics to suit the year.
"They're adaptable," he said.
Ruse burglars target elderly residents, Anderson said, and the Oak Forest Police Department offers the following tips:
- Be aware of your surroundings, and make sure no one follows you home.
- Keep your doors locked, and never open your door to a stranger. If you do not know a person, talk to him or her through the locked door. Burglars are trained to abandon their plans at any time if they face resistance.
- Call police if you do not know the person at your door.
- Report suspicious activity in your neighborhood. Many times the
- offenders will go back to a home if they were unsuccessful the first time.
- Try to get the license plate number from suspicious vehicles.
Police blotter information is provided by the Oak Forest Police Department. Charges are not evidence of guilt. They are a record of police actions taken on a given day, and persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. If you or a family member are charged or cited and the case is subsequently adjudicated, we encourage you to notify the editor. We will verify and report the outcome.
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