Arnold Police are trying to find a 40-year-old man whose last known address was in Granite City, Ill., after he reportedly stole about $300 from a 59-year-old Arnold woman. The woman allowed the man into her home after he did yard work and trimmed trees for her, police said.
The woman called police at about 5:30 p.m. April 1 after the man allegedly stole the money from a jar inside her home in the 1700 block of Rhythm Lane, the report said.
The woman told police the suspect and another man came to her house in a white 2008 Chevrolet Silverado that had an Illinois license plate and asked if she would hire them to trim her trees and clean her yard. The woman said after they performed the work, the man who allegedly stole the money asked if he could come inside to wash his hands, according to the report.
The man then allegedly stole the money before he and the other man got into the pickup and left. Officers found yard waste and tools used to trim trees on the street, and they believe the items fell out of the Silverado as it drove away from the home, Arnold Police reported.
City Administrator Bryan Richison said if the man was offering to trim trees and perform yard work, he should have had a peddler's license from the city. Richison also said if the man had a peddler's license, he would have had an identification card issued by the city.
Detective Lt. Jeremy Christopher said residents should be cautious when hiring anyone who is going door to door asking for work.
“People should be familiar with who they are inviting into their house, and if it is somebody offering a service, they should try to determine if the person is with a reputable company or if they operate a legitimate business,” he said.
As of April 3, police had not located the man, and the money had not been recovered, Christopher said. He asks anyone who has been approached to hire men in a white Silverado to call Arnold Police at 636-296-3204.