Men pose as workers to burglarize Naples homes

NAPLES, Fla.- Homeowners were distracted by two burglars who got away with valuable items in Naples.

The first distracted burglary happened on Monday in Golden Gate. Two men posing as tree trimmers told an elderly lady they were trimming trees next door. One asked her for a glass of water. When they went inside her home, one man distracted her while the other stole $90 and a pair of earrings from her purse.

“She let them in the house, that’s what I told her– she’s 77. I said ‘Rose, why would you let them in the house?’ She said, ‘I don’t know, he asked for a glass of water.’ She just wanted to be accommodating,” explained Patty Shaw who rents on her property.

On Thursday, it seems the same two men struck again. This time posing as fence installers in Naples Park.

Artie Faulconer says the men stole an estimated $15,000 of his jewelry. He was in his garage sweeping when one of the men approached him.

“They wanted to know where the survey stakes were,” said Faulconer. He walked in the back with him and the burglar told him his boss would be by soon. While Artie was in the backyard with one man, the other went into his bedroom. He stole his rings, his late wife’s jewelry. Items Artie has had for 51 years.

“Naturally, I’m angry, not as much monetary as sentimental value of things,” said Faulconer. “We were going to pass it on to our grandchildren.”

In both cases, the homeowners were approached by two Hispanic man. The men look to be in their 30s, one is tall the other short. The men told both victims they were Cherokee Indians. Each time they drove up to the home in a light colored truck.