Bogus callers steal from elderly man in Midhurst

Police are reminding residents not to let unknown callers into their homes, after an elderly man was victim of a heartless theft in Midhurst.

At about 2pm on Friday (January 21), the 84-year-old man answered the door at his home in the Taylors Field area of Midhurst. A woman asked for a pen and paper to write a note.

Before he could object the she entered the house and went into the kitchen. After a few minutes a man arrived and entered as the door had been left open.

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He claimed to be a police officer, but produced no identification, and asked to check upstairs. The occupant tried to follow him but by the time he got up the stairs it was clear the man had rummaged through the victims bedroom.

He then left, followed shortly afterwards by the woman.

It was not until the pair had left that the victim noticed that a total of about £100 cash had been removed from the kitchen and the bed room.

The suspects are both described as white. The woman was her late teens or early twenties, of slim build, around 5’ tall, with short possibly bobbed fair hair. She was carrying a small baby pink hand bag.

The man was between 40 and 50, around 6’, of medium build, and had an Irish accent. he was wearing dark clothing.

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Detective Constable Della Puttock said: “Crimes of this type are rare in this area, but bogus callers come in many shapes and sizes, and this particular ploy is just one of several they will try to use. They usually prey upon the elderly, and our advice is clear - if in doubt keep them out.

“Don’t let anyone into your home unless you are completely satisfied that they are who they say they are and they are coming in for a genuine reason.

“For example police officers and callers from genuine gas, electricity, water and similar utilities will have proper identification and will either be calling by appointment or will be only to happy to be checked up on before entering.

“We are keen to hear from anyone in the Midhurst area who saw this couple on Friday. You can contact us via 0845 60 70 999 quoting Serial 0907 of 21 January.