The Lake County sheriff’s office issued an alert Wednesday reminding homeowners to be careful of ruse burglaries in the summer months.

In such burglary incidents a resident is lured out of their home while a second offender enters the home to burglarize it, the sheriff’s office warned. Other times, the offender will divert the attention of the resident inside the home while someone burglarizes other areas of the home. Offenders will pose as subcontractors for local governments, landscapers or have questions about a resident’s fence line.

Senior citizens are often targets in such crimes, according to the alert. The burglaries increase in northern Illinois during the summer months.

The sheriff’s office advises residents to immediately report suspicious people or vehicles to police by calling 911.