Des Plaines man charged with stealing from 71-year-old woman

A 48-year-old Des Plaines man was ordered held on $175,000 bail Tuesday after authorities say he stole jewelry from a 71-year-old Palatine woman.

If convicted, Tony Miller, of the 700 block of East Algonquin Road, faces a prison sentence of four to 15 years based on his criminal background, which includes a 1998 burglary conviction in New York state and a 1991 burglary conviction in Illinois, for which he received a two-year sentence.

According to prosecutors, Miller has an outstanding arrest warrant from Indiana on larceny charges and a 2006 misdemeanor theft conviction in Illinois.

Miller reportedly told a caretaker he had contracted with the female homeowner to do some tree trimming in her backyard, said Cook County Assistant State's Attorney David Shin.

Miller entered the house and walked with the caretaker to the back, where he pointed out several trees in the backyard he intended to trim, Shin said. At the same time, he was speaking with another person on a two-way radio, Shin said. Miller eventually left the house, without speaking to the homeowner, and drove off in a car with three other men, Shin said.

After he left, the caretaker and the homeowner discovered dresser drawers were open in several bedrooms and jewelry was missing, Shin said.

Prosecutors did not say how Miller managed to take the jewelry without the caretaker's knowledge. No one else has been charged with the theft.

Chicago police and members of the Illinois State Police Ruse Burglary Task Force identified Miller as a suspect in the Palatine robbery and the caretaker later identified him as the man who had been to the house, authorities said.

Miller next appears in court on April 30.