CHICAGO, IL,—Robbers posing as maintenance workers from an electrical company robbed homes in Uptown and Rogers Park in Chicago on August 24, at around 2 p.m. on North Ridge Boulevard. Another similar incident happened on August 14, around 3 p.m. on West Hutchinson Street, ABC 7 Chicago first reported.
In both incidents, three men knocked on the doors of the homes of senior citizens, and told them they were workers with a tree trimming service or were representatives of a utility company. According to police, the method is used to create a conversation in order to distract the victim.
According to a community alert from the Chicago Police Department, once inside, one of the men distracted or restrained the victim, while the other men stole valuables from the home. It is unknown whether the suspects in both incidents are the same, and no identifications or arrests have been made in any of the cases.
The Chicago Police Department are warning local residents of these crimes, in hopes to prevent further robberies and injuries. Another community alert from the Chicago Police Department cites similar incidents that occurred on August 14, August 16, and August 20, where two offenders posed as policemen, asked for identification, and then the victim’s wallets and fled.
Authorities are warning the public to be wary of individuals claiming identities such as these, to alert authorities to suspicious suspects or activities in neighborhoods, and to keep doors and windows secure.
