Palos Heights Police Issue Alert For Residential Burglar
PALOS HEIGHTS, Ill. (STMW) -- Police in Palos Heights are warning residents of several residential burglaries or attempted residential burglaries in the southwest suburb recently.
The latest attempted burglary occurred in the 12400 block of Natchez on Tuesday, Nov. 15, shortly before 9 a.m., a release from police said.
A man gained access to a screened-in porch through an unlocked screen door, police said. Once inside, he began to open the unlocked sliding glass door that led into the residence. A resident saw him and closed the sliding door from the inside then viewed the man leave the porch and run up the driveway to a waiting vehicle.
The man is described as a white male, approximately 40-50 years old with gray hair and a medium build. He was wearing a dark knit hat, a dark colored Carhardt coat, and beige work-type gloves that were described as being dirty.
The vehicle was described as a dark colored, possibly Chevrolet Suburban that was in poor condition. This vehicle was being driven by an unknown person. Palos Heights Police searched the area for the man and for the vehicle. A neighborhood canvass was conducted and detectives responded to the scene. Police have released a sketch of the man, as well.
Police urge residents be extra vigilant in securing their homes and vehicles and to check on elderly residents who may be home alone during the daytime. With the holiday season and colder weather approaching, criminals use the cold weather to wear heavier clothing, which includes but is not limited to hats, masks, scarves, gloves, boots, in order to disguise their appearance, without looking out of place, like they would wearing cold weather garb in warm weather.
Additionally, police remind residents that all Palos Heights employees have city-issued identification cards displayed on themselves while working for the city. Any resident who sees any suspicious activity of vehicles or persons is asked to dial 911 immediately in order to have police respond. You may remain anonymous when calling the police.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2010. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
