Police Seek 'Transient Criminal' Who Attacked Elderly Woman In Her Home
ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill. (CBS) -- A manhunt was underway Tuesday morning for a parolee accused of breaking into an elderly woman's home over the weekend and beating her.
CBS 2's Mike Puccinelli reports police have said the man is a transient who goes from town to town, preying on senior citizens, particularly those who live alone.
Stanley Miller, 32, is wanted for forcing his way into an 86-year-old woman's home in Rolling Meadows around 3 p.m. Sunday, using a home improvement ruse to get inside.
When she wouldn't let him in, he forced his way through her locked screen door, and began searching the house for money and valuables. When she confronted him, he beat her up and ran away, police said.
Arlington Heights police later found Miller's vehicle abandoned in a parking lot.
The victim, who declined medical attention, identified Miller in a photo lineup. She was recovering at home on Tuesday.
Police said Miller also tried to get into another elderly woman's home nearby, but was interrupted by a guest who was visiting at the same time. He also might have tried to rob as many as two other elderly victims before he barged into his final victim's house.
Neighbor Betsy Vandie said the woman always has been very cautious about her safety, and kept her storm door locked at all times, but the robber forced his way in when she turned her back.
"I think this was targeted. I mean, how would this fella have known that an elderly woman was living in this house, and how would he have known about the other person that he tried to prey on? So either he scoped out the neighborhood, somebody told him. That's kind of scary," Vandie said.
Miller previously served time for burglary in 2010.
"Stanley Miller is known as a transient criminal, who preys pretty much on the elderly; pulls scams such as a home maintenance scam, stuff like that. The transient goes from location to location trying to commit these crimes," said Rolling Meadows Police Sgt. Tom Gadomski
CrimeStoppers was offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the most recent attack.