While she was looking for a bucket for the men, one of the men went into her house and stole three diamond rings worth about $5,500.

OAKLAND, Mo. – A group of men posing as workers stole diamond rings from an elderly woman’s home.

It happened in the small community of Oakland, just southeast of Kirkwood. Police said a woman was outside getting her mail when three men in a trucked pulled up. They offered to repair a dent in her gutters for $20. The woman accepted, and one of the men asked her for a bucket. As she was inside her garage, another man went into the house and stole three diamond rings. They are valued at $5500.

Police said the men left, telling the victim they would complete the work the next day. They never returned.

“That kind of scared the heck out of me,” said Patsy, who lives down the street. “Nothing like this has happened before.”

Kirkwood Police investigated and found it was the only case in the area. They are warning residents to never allow people to perform work on their homes unless they set up an appointment.