Crime & Safety
Elderly Woman Robbed: Ruse Burglars Strike in Plainfield, Cops Say
A visually impaired woman was targeted by thieves who have allegedly struck elsewhere in the Chicago suburbs, according to cops.
At least two members of a ruse burglary ring robbed an elderly Plainfield woman in broad daylight, police said.
Sgt. Kevin McQuaid said the woman, who is visually impaired, was swindled after a man came to her door at about 1:30 p.m. Nov. 13, claiming he was buying the lot next to her home, which is about a mile north of the Plainfield Police Department.
"He started asking her questions," McQuaid said. "He kind of walked into the house and walked to the back — he distracted her."
While the woman was talking to to man, an accomplice allegedly went into the woman's bedroom and stole an estimated $15,000 worth of jewelry. The woman called police after she discovered the items missing.
A day later, Plainfield police got a break in the case when they were contacted by Orland Park Police, who had six Chicago men in custody in connection with a series of ruse incidents in Orland Park and Palos Park.
The Plainfield victim was able to single out one of the men who allegedly burglarized her home.
"She was able to ID the subject and some of her jewelry," McQuaid said. Plainfield police have obtained a warrant for 37-year-old Sonny Ziko of the 2700 block of North Western Avenue in Chicago.
Ziko, however, remains in custody in Cook County in connection with a rash of similar crimes, police said. He and five alleged accomplices are charged with conspiracy to commit burglary.
Ziko is also accused in connection with two alleged incidents in Bolingbrook. In one case, an elderly woman was distracted by a man who told her construction needed to be done at the rear of her home, police said. After walking around the home with the woman, the man reportedly left, and the victim discovered that jewelry and $2,000 cash had been stolen.
The second Bolingbrook incident was an alleged botched burglary in which an elderly couple was approached by a man asking if they had a lawnmower for sale. But the man apparently became startled and fled before a burglary occurred.
- Read: 2 Local Cases Closed: Rompa Says Bolingbrook Police Play Role in Shutting Down Ruse Burglary Crew
'It's happening everywhere'
Members of the same crew allegedly used a similar ruse to target a victim in Palos Park, where one of the accused thieves reportedly approached her home and told her he would be working for the neighbor near her backyard, and wanted to check the property line. He then asked the woman to follow him to the back of her house, before telling her he was going to go get some property line markers from his truck. But he never returned, and when the woman went back inside her house, she found her front door and several jewelry boxes wide open, according to police.Moments after that woman called police, another call came in about a similar ruse burglary that allegedly happened nearby. In that case, a man gave the victim a similar story about wanting to check property lines, then followed her into her kitchen before leaving empty handed, police. He reportedly fled in a grey van, which was later pulled over by Illinois State Police.
Police said there are multiple reports of ruse burglaries throughout the Chicago suburbs.
While "this is the first one we've had in a long time" in Plainfield, McQuaid said, "it's happening everywhere."
McQuaid urged residents to use caution if approached at their home by a stranger.
"The big thing is, make sure to get proper ID," he said, especially if someone knocks on your door claiming to be from a utility or other company. When in doubt, McQuaid said — don't open the door. If you're not sure the person is who they claim to be, call the police and they will check it out for you, McQuaid said.
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