Woman, 82, burgled by bogus water engineer

The incident happened in the Burmantofts area of the city at around 2pm on Saturday, when the fraudster knocked on the door of the property and said he was from the water board and there was a problem with the local supply.

After she let the man into the house, he wrapped a towel around his hand and searched under the sink in the kitchen, telling her the water was contaminated and could make her ill.

The man then asked the pensioner to turn on her taps and said he needed to check a pipe that ran from the kitchen to the living room.

As the bogus caller moved into the living room, the victim went next door to see if her neighbours had a similar problem.

When the victim returned to her home the man was seen leaving the property and walking off down Stoney Rock Lane.

The woman then realised that her purse had been taken.

The bogus caller is described as white, aged 18-25, skinny with short dark coloured hair. He was wearing a light coloured jumper with a hooped pattern of black or grey stripes with blue trousers, possibly jeans, and still had the towel wrapped round his hand.

Det Con Stuart Patterson, of Killkingbeck CID, said: "Crimes of this type are extremely cowardly in their nature and the victim has been left understandably upset by the incident."

Anyone with information should contact the burglary team at Killingbeck Police Station on 0113 241 3786.

Mr Patterson added: "With the recent cold weather we have experienced I would also urge residents to be on their guard if they have any unknown callers turning up on their doorstep, claiming to be from a utility company, and needing access to their home to check on some weather-related problem.

"If this does happen always ask for identification and then check this by phoning the company in question."