Sheriffs Office warns of recent gypsy scams

The McHenry County and the Boone County Sheriff’s Office are investigating two recent “gypsy” scams both targeting elderly victims in rural areas. The incidents occurred Wednesday, October 14, 2015, in unincorporated McHenry County and Boone County.

One such scam occurred at about 2:50 p.m. Wednesday in unincorporated Woodstock, IL. Two suspects entered an elderly couple’s home after they told the couple they were there to perform home improvement work. Once inside, one of the victims was coerced to go to the back yard with one of the suspects while the other suspect remained in the house and removed personal belongings from the residence.

Approximately 45 minutes later, a similar scam occurred in Garden Prairie, IL. The suspects, in both incidents, were described as male between the ages of 20 to 40 and of Greek or Hispanic ethnicity. They drove a white pick-up truck with a white cab or white cargo van with blue lettering on the side, and out-of-state registration plates.

In general, the scam involves gaining the confidence of elderly victims in order to gain access to their homes, usually by telling the victim that they are there to perform some type of home improvement work. Once inside home, one suspect will distract the victim, while the other will ransack the home for cash, credit cards, jewelry and other valuables.

The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office encourages anyone with information that could assist with this investigation to contact our investigations Division at 815-338-2144. If you believe you have been a victim of a scam or if you observe suspicious activity, please report it to your local police department or the Sheriff’s Office.