(AURORA) Ruse burglars targeted seniors in three separate incidents this week in west suburban Aurora, police said.
In the most recent burglary, an 86-year-old woman noticed $5,000 in jewelry missing after a man approached her and showed her garage shingles needing replacement at her home in the 500 block of North View Street, police said.
The incident happened about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, police said. The woman noticed another man sitting in a black van parked in her driveway.
Authorities believe the first man approaches and distracts victims while a second man enters homes or rooms to steal valuables, police said.
The first incident happened about noon Tuesday in the 400 block of Northpark Avenue, police said.
An 81-year-old woman said two men knocked on her door and walked in telling her they accidentally overcharged her for work they recently performed on her driveway, police said.
She became suspicious and told them she would have to call her daughter, and noticed one of the men walking toward a bedroom, police said. It was then that the woman’s son showed up and the two men quickly left.
No items were missing from the home.
About 3 p.m. Tuesday, an 80-year-old woman in the 1300 block of Austin Avenue said two men got out of a black pickup truck and said her home needed various repairs, police said.
The man asked her to open her garage to check the quality of her garage floor, and apparently took a leaf blower when she went to get her keys to move her car, police said.
Police believe the incidents are related. The suspects in all three cases are described as white men, one in his 50s and one in his 30s.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Aurora Police at (630) 256-5500 or Crime Stoppers at (630) 892-1000.
