Palos Park Residents In Their 80s Targeted In Ruse Burglary

PALOS PARK, IL—An elderly couple in their eighties was targeted Wednesday morning by a pair of fake water department workers, Palos Park police said.

The workers appeared at the couple’s home near Route 83 and Autobahn sometime between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Both were described as male, wearing yellow reflective vests and helmets along with scarves up around their chins.

While the couple was distracted, another accomplice entered the home and stole costume jewelry from another room, police said.

When the couple realized they were missing jewelry, they called the actual Palos Park Water Department, and were informed that no work was being done in their area.

Evidence technicians remained on the scene throughout the afternoon, lifting fingerprints and trying to get traces of DNA. Officers also combed the area, seeking home security video evidence.

The couple did not see a vehicle, but investigators extracted a partial image of an older white Toyota sedan with rust on the right bumper.

Chief Joe Miller, of the Palos Park Police Department, told Patch it was the first ruse burglary they’ve had in quite some time.

“They do their homework,” Miller said. “They drive around, see where seniors live, and look for seniors working in their yards. They’ll hang out at restaurants where seniors are known to gather and engage them there to see how lucid they are. They’ll get their names from their mail and start engaging with them. They’re very clever with what they do.”

Miller advised that if someone comes to your door unexpectedly claiming they need to check the water or lights in their home, not to engage with them. Instead, call the police, the village department, or the utility to determine if they have workers in their area.

Photos of an actual village water department vehicle and employees were posted on the Palos Park police Facebook page so that residents know what the village water department vehicles they look like.

“They were lucky; nobody got hurt,” the police chief added. “All they got was costume jewelry.”