Watch out for con-artist targeting elderly (From Sutton Guardian)

Trickster lies about working next door to get into Sutton people's houses

6:00am Tuesday 12th March 2013 in News By Mike Pyle

A doorstep trickster who lies his way into people's houses is targeting elderly people.

The man visits people's houses and tells them he is doing work on a neighbour's property.

Once inside he leaves the front door open so another man can come in and search the house.

The con-man's latest target was a 78-year-old woman.

He called at the woman's house in Ridge Road at around 5pm on Friday, March 8, and told her he needed to go to the garden to take some measurements before he built scaffolding next door.

As the woman was outside with the man she nonnticed another person in her house. When she went back inside she noticed her bedroom drawers had been searched although nothing was stolen.

The suspect is a white man, 25 to 30-years-old, around 5ft 8in tall and of stocky build.

He has short, brown hair and was wearing a pale green quilted jacket.

Police are already investigating two burglaries within minutes of each other which also involved a smartly dressed caller wanting to come in because of work he was doing on neighbouring properties.

The other incidents were in Forest Road, Sutton, and Foresters Drive, Wallington, on Monday, March 4, between 2.30pm and 3pm. Both victims, who are aged in their 80s, had property stolen.

Officers say uninvited callers should never be allowed into your house and that people should call the police if they do get a suspect caller at their house.

To report information call police on 101 or 999 in an emergency.