DuPage cops warn of thieves targeting elderly

Bloomingdale police say they're working with other law enforcement agencies to pursue a ring of thieves and con men who are preying on elderly residents and robbing them of cash, jewelry and other items.

Director of Public Safety Frank Giammarese said Bloomingdale police have responded to two such robberies in the past two months and departments in neighboring towns are reporting similar cases.

Giammarese said authorities believe there is "a core group of people" responsible for scams across the region in which they "scope out" vulnerable targets and then pose as roofers or members of municipal water or forestry departments. The thieves work in teams, he said, in which one distracts residents by leading them to the basement to check for water leaks or outside to check for damaged roofs or trees while the other enters the house and robs it.

"We just have no tolerance for these types of crimes," he said. "It heightens the desire to catch the people responsible, especially when they target the elderly."

Such cases are nothing new, police say. They urge residents not to allow strangers into their homes and stress that municipal employees are required to present identification. Giammarese said residents should call 911 if they have any questions about people who come to their door.