Elderly woman robbed in distraction burglary in Lillington

Police believe the drugs may have been lost around York Street

At around 11am, the woman aged 84, was approached by two males at her front door, who told her that her gutter needed replacing and they could do it for her that day.

They forced her to go to the bank and withdraw a substantial amount of money for repairs, however when she returned she told the men that she had changed her mind and the costs of the repairs were too expensive.

They then told her she would need to pay less money for the work that had already been done, and whilst she was distracted fetching the money from her purse, one of the offenders stole the cash which she had withdrawn from the bank.

She tried to reach to get the money back but the offender fought her off, before running from the house. The victim sustained very slight injuries during the incident.

One of the offenders was described as white, around late forties to early fifties with, between 5ft 8ins and 5ft 10ins with a round face and reddening cheeks.

He had a stocky build and spoke with an Irish accent.

At the time of the incident he was wearing a navy blue shirt and a navy blue duffle coat.

The second offender was described as a white man, of slight build, in his twenties and around 5”0-5”2. He wore silver glasses and all navy clothing.

The offenders are believed to have used a white Ford Transit type vehicle with ladders on the top that have a hook on the end.

Police are urging people to be vigilant to bogus callers and to ensure elderly friends and relatives know how to protect themselves.

Det Cone Tim O’Mahoney said “This is a despicable crime as the offenders preyed on a vulnerable elderly lady, stealing a substantial amount of cash. It’s important that people are aware of bogus callers, and take actions to protect themselves. Please only use reputable traders and don’t feel pressured into having work done by callers at the door.

“If you are concerned about a caller, please contact police to report this. You should call 101 or 999 in an emergency.

“We are urging anyone who may have seen anything suspicious on Gresham Avenue at the time of the incident, or who may recognise the men matching the descriptions to contact myself on 684112.

“Alternatively contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via the website www.crimestoppers-uk.org”