Buffalo Grove residents urged to be alert for ruse burglaries

Buffalo Grove police are warning homeowners to be on guard against so called “ruse burglaries” after one this week and a couple earlier in the year.

A ruse burglary is a crime in which someone distracts the homeowner while an accomplice enters the home and looks for things to steal, typically jewelry. Elderly people often are targetted.

In the latest incident, a resident on Twin Oaks Court reported that about noon Monday, he was confronted by a man, who said that his parents purchased a home in back of theirs.

The man said that he wanted to build a fence between both homes and they began to talk about the fence project. The subject kept the resident occupied in the back of the home for about 15 minutes and even spoke on his cell phone for a few minutes in Spanish, while another person entered and removed jewelry from an upstairs bedroom. Approximately 30 minutes later, the resident found a second-floor bedroom was in disarray and jewelry was missing.

The homeowner described the subject as a male Hispanic, 35-40 years old with dark complexion, short black hair and no facial hair. He is approximately 6 feet tall with a heavy build, over 200 pounds with a large round head and face, and spoke good English with a heavy Mexican accent. He was wearing a dark blue baseball cap, dark blue jacket and tight blue jeans.

Police reminded residents to not allow strangers access to their yard, home or garage, and to call 911 to report suspicious people asking for access to their home. Residents should also note occupied vehicles parked in residential neighborhoods.