Elderly victims fall prey to thieves

Police have issued a warning to elderly people and their families to be vigilant and more security conscious following two incidents of distraction burglaries in which people over 80 were targeted.

By The Newsroom

Published 7th Nov 2011, 11:39 BST

Officers said the two crimes happened last Thursday between 6.30pm and 7.30pm when two men who said they were from a water company knocked on the door of a property on Roberts Avenue, Conisbrough, near Doncaster.

While one man distracted the 85-year-old male resident, the other man searched the property, taking cash and bank books.

Shortly afterwards two men also a property in Conan Road, again in Conisbrough, saying they were water company employees.

One of the men distracted the 80-year-old female resident while the other searched the property. A substantial amount of cash was taken.

DI Steve Whittaker said: “Distraction burglars tend to target older, more vulnerable members of the public at their homes, by posing as ‘bogus officials’.

“I want to reassure the public that we will do everything we can to catch and prosecute the criminals responsible for these crimes.”