Resident Reports Theft
Park Forest, IL—(ENEWSPF) — A Park Forest resident was a victim of theft last week by individuals posing as employees of the telephone company. The alleged thieves may be targeting seniors in the south suburban area. A couple in Peotone also fell victim recently in a similar situation with individuals posing as employees of the water company.
On April 18, police were dispatched to the 300 block of Oakwood regarding a report of residential burglary. A resident reported observing a black SUV turn into her driveway. She observed a white male driver and a white passenger inside the vehicle.
The resident reported that the man came to her door and stated he worked for the telephone company. He said he needed to speak to her outside about her trees in the back yard. The resident exited her home through the front door and walked to the back yard with the subject. There, she was told that they would have to trim the trees in her back yard for the phone company to work on the wires around the trees. The subject kept asking questions about the trees and stood between her and her house, according to the report.
After approximately 5 minutes, the subject stated that he would relay information about the trees to his boss to determine if work needed to be done on trees and advised her he did not need to speak with her any more. The resident entered her home through the front door, and the subject and his passenger left the driveway. She never spoke to the passenger or saw the passenger leave the vehicle.
About a half hour after the subjects left, the resident went upstairs to her bedroom and discovered items thrown on her bed and her dresser drawers open. She also discovered her jewelry box on her dresser was open and jewelry scattered across her dresser.
Missing was one diamond ring and one pearl/ruby ring.
Police entered information into LEADS about this burglary in order to try and obtain more information on the offenders.
Peotone Couple Victims of Similar Circumstance
In their investigation, police spoke to the Peotone Police Department and learned that a similar incident happened in Peotone on April 2. According to reports from the Peotone Police Department, a Hispanic male knocked on the door of a home and informed the resident there that he was from the water department and there was a water main break in her back yard. He said he needed to get in the residence to turn off the water. The Peotone resident permitted the man to enter her residence, believing he was with the water department.
While she was in the kitchen with the first individual, the resident heard someone else enter the residence and say, “Hi,” to her husband, who was sitting in the family room. The resident went into the family room, and her husband was alone. She then went in to the bedroom, and saw another Hispanic male going through the dresser drawers. When she asked him what he was doing, he ran past her and both men ran out the front door.
In this instance, $1,100 was reported missing.
Park Forest police continue to investigate the incident on Oakwood. Residents are encouraged to report suspicious activity to the Park Forest Police Department at 708-748-4700.
