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.”
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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.
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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.
