A number of despicable confidence tricks have been perpetrated on elderly residents in recent weeks.

An elderly man in Hersham was conned out of £7,000 by two rogue traders posing as his neighbours.

The two men persuaded the man to part with a cheque for cleaning leaves from his gutters on Thursday, May 2.

The men were white, in their 30s, 6ft 2in, of medium build and had short brown hair.

This incident and others across the borough have sparked a warning from Surrey Police, asking residents to be on their guard and look out for elderly and vulnerable neighbours.

In another incident, an elderly woman in West Molesey was targeted by a man who knocked on her front door and asked for £2,400 to dig up her front garden to carry out sewage works.

The woman refused and the man left with nothing.

He was white, in his late 30s, with dark hair and was wearing a fluorescent jacket. Another West Molesey resident also told police their neighbour, who has dementia, received callers at the door asking for £3,500 for roofing work.

An elderly woman was also targeted in Walton on Wednesday, May 1.

Two men knocked on the victim’s door saying they had done work on her roof and were waiting for payment of £400 before they put sealant on it.

The men left without payment after the woman said she did not have the money.

The men were white, in their 30s, about 6ft 2in, of medium build, with short brown hair and spoke with southern English accents.

Safer neighbourhood team sergeant Andy Grapsas said: “We are reminding residents to be vigilant but more importantly, asking them to keep an eye on their elderly and vulnerable neighbours, who are more commonly targeted by these rogue traders.

“To con the most vulnerable members of our communities out of money in this way is utterly despicable and we are determined to do all we can, in conjunction with Surrey Trading Standards, to identify those responsible and ensure they are brought to justice.”