Three men charged with posing as water inspectors, stealing jewelry in ruse burglary in Naperville
WHEATON, Ill. (CBS) -- Three men are accused of posing as water inspectors and stealing $6,000 worth of jewelry from an elderly couple in Naperville.
Lawrence Miller, 29, of Arlington Heights; Sam Mason, 26, also of Arlington Heights; and Christopher Nicholas, 36, of Chicago, made their first court appearance Thursday. DuPage County Judge Daniel Guerin set Miller's bond at $1 million, Mason's at $500,000, and Nicholas' at $100,000. All three men are charged with felony residential burglary.
On Tuesday at 4:38 p.m., Naperville police were called to a home on Waxwing Avenue by a couple in their 70s. The couple said they were sitting in their car in front of their house when a man wearing a yellow safety vest showed up, according to the DuPage County State's Attorney's office.
The man – now identified as Miller – told the couple there was a problem with their water and he was there to fix it, prosecutors said. Miller convinced the man of the couple to allow him inside the house and inspect the water in the kitchen, and also to see the utility boxes in the back of the house, prosecutors said.
While this was happening, Miller's accomplices went in and stole $6,000 worth of jewelry, prosecutors said. Prosecutors said while Miller was outside with the man who lived in the house, he was on a two-way radio with his accomplices the whole time, prosecutors said.
The suspected thieves fled the scene, but they were arrested after being caught trying to sell the victims' jewelry at a Schaumburg pawn shop, prosecutors said.
The defendants are due back in court next month.