Cops: 'Vacuum salesman' sucked up $25K in jewelry

Police said a man pretending to be a door-to-door vacuum salesman stole $25,000 in jewelry after a widow let him into her Cypress home.

Sgt. Tom Bruce said the woman called police Wednesday after discovering the jewelry missing. The woman suspected the would-be salesman who showed up on her doorstep Tuesday and in the middle of his sales pitch asked to use the bathroom.

Bruce said the man disappeared down the hallway and returned several minutes later after rifling through the woman's bedroom dress to steal her jewelry.

Authorities said the man asked to stay for dinner but the woman turned him down.