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CRIME ALERTS

Ruse Entry or Residential Burglary

Each year, area residents are the victims of a "Ruse Entry" or Residential Burglary. 

Here is how the scam works.  Two or more strangers come to your home and claim to be utility workers.  They may threaten to suspend utility service if the homeowner does not allow them in to "check" utility service.  Once the homeowner allows one individual in their home, his/her accomplice will go through the home looking for money, jewelry and other valuables.  The second criminal does this while the first criminal holds your attention in another part of the house.

Criminals may also claim to have accidentally damaged your property.  In this case, the offender tries to get the resident out of the house to look at something in the back or side yard.  Do not allow these people into your home and do not go outside with them to examine a claim of damage.  If a person identifies him or herself as an employee representing a utility company, be suspicious unless you have requested their service.  Do not open the door, even to ask for identification.  Verify that they are driving a company vehicle by looking out of your windows.  If the vehicle does not have identifying marks or logo, or if the criminal tells you the vehicle is around the corner, call the utility's telephone number and verify the service call.  Phone number can be found in the white pages of your telephone book.

If you suspect that you are the target victim of this type of crime, call 9-1-1 immediately.  Try to remember a description of the suspect and vehicle and then note the direction of travel. The Police Department wants to stop these offenders before they leave the area.  If you have been the victim of one of these crimes (scams), call the Police Department at (847) 673-2167.

Jury Duty Scam

BEWARE

There have been recent reports of a Jury Duty Scam. The offender calls and poses as a court officer. The offender accuses the victim of failing to report for jury duty, which is a criminal offense. In order to avoid criminal penalties, the offender gathers personal information to update the victim's jury duty record. The personal information includes name, address, date of birth, social security number, etc. Armed with this information, the offender commits Identity Theft against the unsuspecting victim.

NEVER GIVE PERSONAL INFORMATION TO ANYONE OVER THE TELEPHONE OR VIA THE INTERNET. 

Lotto Scam

There have been recent reports made to the Police Department regarding Lotto Scams.  These scams usually involve an international lottery award letter being sent to your home.  The letter indicates that you have won a large sum of money, usually in excess of $50,000.  The award letter is accompanied by a check for a smaller amount, usually $2,000 - $3,000, payable to you.  You are instructed to deposit the check in your bank as part of your winnings.  Within a short deadline period, you must wire a large portion of the money to an "agent" outside of the USA to pay the "taxes" on your winnings.  The rest of the winnings are to be sent once the "taxes" are paid by you. 

Unfortunately, the winnings are never sent.  In fact, the check that was sent to you is a counterfeit.  Therefore, your bank will debit your account for the entire amount.  The short deadline is used so you wire the money before you and/or your bank realizes the check is counterfeit.  Thus, you are conned out of the full amount that you wire outside the USA. 

The Police Department will document these incidents for you.  However, since the crime crosses national borders, the Police Department does not have jurisdiction to pursue the case.  Therefore, you may be referred to any one of many federal agencies for further assistance, depending on the circumstances.  Rarely are the offenders identified and prosecuted.  

PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND TO THESE AWARD LETTERS.  NOTIFY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SO PROPER AUTHORITIES MAY BE NOTIFIED