Burglar pretending to work for water board steals £1,000 from elderly Little Thetford woman
An elderly woman was the victim of a distraction burglary in Little Thetford on Wednesday (December 8). - Credit: Archant
An elderly Little Thetford woman was the target of a distraction burglary.
Between 1pm and 3.30pm on Wednesday (December 6) the victim – a woman in her 80s – let a man into her home on Green Hill after he claimed to work for the water board.
While the woman checked her taps, the man searched her house and stole £1,000 in cash.
Detective Sergeant Emma Smith said: “It is despicable to target the vulnerable and I would urge anybody who was in the area at the time and saw anything suspicious to contact us as a matter of urgency.
“Anyone with information regarding the incident should call police on 101 quoting CF0707521217 or visit www.cambs.police.uk/report. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111 or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org.”
The burglary follows two similar crimes in Chatteris a fortnight ago. Between 7.30pm and 8pm on November 27, two men broke into houses in Wimpole Street and nearby Whaleys Yard, stealing bank cards and cash from two elderly victims – one of whom was injured in the process.
The police are re-enforcing their ‘lock, stop, chain, check’ campaign in the wake of the burglaries.
Most Read
- 1 EastEnders star Adam Woodyatt ‘to work at restaurant in Cambridgeshire’
- 2 Inferno BBQ to be occupied by sister company Forbidden Burger Co
- 3 Mike Rouse, councillor, former mayor and historian, dies aged 82
- 4 Mike Rouse: A lifetime's passion for books and literature
- 5 Table made from 5,000-year-old oak tree to be unveiled at Ely Cathedral in honour of The Queen
- 6 'A little talent very thinly spread' Mike Rouse, in his own words
- 7 Cambridge: Police officer had surgery after sex offender drove car at them
- 8 Middlesbrough couple found in Cambs with drugs worth around £37,000
- 9 Superintendent dons rainbow helmet against hate crime on #IDAHOBIT
- 10 Can you answer these 10 GCSE questions designed for 16-year-olds?
To reduce the risk of becoming the victim of a distraction burglar, always remember:
LOCK - Is your back door locked? If not, lock it before you answer the front door as distraction burglars often work in pairs - one distracts, while the other steals
STOP - Are you expecting anybody?
CHAIN - Put this on before you open the door. If you have not got one, it is a worthwhile investment. It will give you that extra ‘safe space’ and barrier between you and the caller and then,
CHECK - Ask for their identification card, take it and look at it carefully. Close the door and check the number in the phone book - not the number on the card. If they are genuine they will not mind waiting or coming back another day.