Distraction burglars posing as policemen used their fake credentials to burgle two homes in Brighton this week.
Police believe the “despicable” crimes may be linked to similar crimes in Brighton and Portslade earlier this month.
And on Monday, two more distraction burglars posing as a trader and a utility worker conned two men in their 80s out of hundreds of pounds of cash.
The fake cops struck between 5.30pm and 8.30pm in Upper Lewes Road on Sunday. They told a woman that her flat had been burgled and searched it, taking £500.
Then on Monday two men tried to enter a flat in Bromley Road, Brighton, at about 12.30pm. When the victim discovered them, they said that they’d found a set of keys to her flat and showed a bogus police ID card before leaving empty handed.
The first man in Sunday’s burglary is described as white, aged 35-40, 6ft tall, with a slim build, grey hair and wearing a grey suit. The second man is described as white, aged 30, 5ft 10in, with a stocky build, dark hair and wearing casual clothing. Both men are thought to have Irish accents.
The first man in Monday’s incident is described as white, aged 18-20, 5ft 2in, with an average build, a clean shaven, round face and wearing a navy blue baseball cap, a navy blue long sleeve casual jacket and dark trousers. The second man is described as white, taller and of larger build than the first male, and wearing a cap and a beige “dogtooth” jacket.
At around 10.30am on Monday 22 March an elderly man, aged 87, answered a call at the door of his home address in Ladies Mile Road, Patcham, to a man purporting to be a representative from a loft and cavity wall insulation company who invited himself into the property.
The man asked the occupant for £185 for insulation that had been previously fitted at the property, which he handed over in cash.
The man then went upstairs under the pretence of checking areas for insulation, and asked the victim to check the hot and cold water taps in the kitchen. After a period of five to ten minutes, during which time the victim spoke to an accomplice on the telephone while the man was upstairs alone, the man reappeared downstairs and left the house in the direction of the small parade of shops and the junction with Mackie Avenue.
After he had left, the victim realised that other items had been stolen including two envelopes containing approximately £900 in cash and two bank cards
The suspect is described as white, well built, around 5ft 10in tall and aged in his 30s.
At 9am on Monday 22 March, an elderly man, aged 83, from Carden Hill, Brighton, answered the door to a man advising him there was a problem with the drains in the area and asking to inspect his.
The occupier led the man to a manhole cover for the drains located in a conservatory in the rear of the premises. The man lifted the carpet above the manhole cover and then left stating he would be in touch.
A short time later the victim received a call from another man stating that they had established that the drainage problem originated at his property.
The man then informed the victim that there was machinery available to fix the problem but the total cost of the work would be £115,000 and therefore a deposit of £15,000 would be required.
The victim stated that he could not access such a large sum of money but suggested that he could raise £3000 as a deposit.
The victim then went into town and withdrew the money from his bank. On his return home he received further calls instructing him to leave his house and meet a man who would take the deposit and give him a receipt.
As the victim walked to meet the man, at approximately 1pm, he was met by another man who said that he was there to receive the deposit.
When the victim asked for a receipt, he was told that it would be dropped to his house shortly. The victim refused to hand over the money and returned home.
He then received a series of phone calls from an aggressive man demanding that the victim hand over the money. The victim refused, and there has been no further contact from any of the men involved since.
Anyone who has any information relating to these incidents is asked to contact Sussex Police on 0840 6070999 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.
Here is some police advice to avoid becoming a victim of a distraction burglar:
- Exercise caution if a stranger comes to your door. Do not let anybody in unless you are expecting them. Representatives from bona fide companies rarely make house calls without an appointment and will not take offence if asked to verify their identity.
- Follow the “Lock, Stop, Chain, Check” security precautions to help ensure you don’t become a victim. Talk to people through the door, rather than opening it when they call. Ask who they are before opening the door, and keep the door on the chain until they have shown their identification.
- If you have concerns over callers to your door and they are still there or nearby, call the police using the 999 system. If you are made aware of a possible offence some time after it has happened call the police using the non emergency number of 0845 6070999.
Police advise that when you hear someone at the door:
- Take your time to answer it – a genuine caller will wait.
- Look and see who is there using the door viewer or a window.
- If you do not recognise who it is, apply your door chain or door bar and check all your doors are locked. Burglars often come in pairs, so one may come in the back door while you’re being distracted at the front door.
- Always ask for identification, but remember that ID cards are easy to copy. If in doubt, ask them to wait and call their company to check. A genuine caller will not mind.
- You do not have to let people in and if you are uncertain then don’t, however persuasive or plausible the caller is. It is better that a genuine caller is turned away than a burglar is let in.
- If you look after someone who is elderly or vulnerable, please do all you can to make sure they heed this advice – and to persuade them not to keep large sums of money at home. Keep an eye on your vulnerable relatives and neighbours. Make sure they have appropriate security and know the risks of answering the door to unexpected visitors.
