The Oak Brook Police Department is alerting homeowners to be vigilant in helping prevent residential burglaries.
Police said there recently has been an increase in residential burglaries, both in Oak Brook and surrounding areas. Residents are reminded to immediately call 911 to report any suspicious people or vehicles that are parked in any village neighborhoods, including vehicles with no license plates affixed. Email contact with police also is an option at [email protected].
The most common identified time frames of the recent burglaries is between noon and 6 p.m., police said, adding that the most common method of entry has been by breaking a rear sliding door.
The installation of Ring doorbells and spotlights are effective deterrents to make residences a more difficult target, police said. They said their department has increased both marked and unmarked patrols of the village’s residential areas.
Another type of residential burglaries about which police are reminding residents to remain vigilant are ruse burglaries.
During these types of scams, criminals pose as landscapers, roofers, construction workers, and sometimes local government employees to gain entry into a home.
The goal is to convince the homeowner to leave the home under false pretenses or distract them for a short period while accomplices enter the home without the resident’s knowledge and remove valuables, police said.
The Police Department urges residents to ask for credentials, never leave homes unsecured, and if it can be done safely, record license plate information or descriptions when in question. Also, residents are reminded to lock their homes and set alarms when leaving, and to lock vehicles while left unattended.
Chuck Fieldman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.