Sussex Police are warning of the risks of distraction burglaries after one elderly resident lost £50 in cash in a recent incident.
The 83-year-old woman, who lives alone, was visited by three men who claimed that they had come to check her sink for a water leak.
Although they did not show any identification, she allowed them to enter her property and, while one kept her talking, the other two stole the money in coinage.
Detective Constable Jim Nicholl says: "This was another despicable example of the way in which elderly people can be preyed upon by callous thieves."
Further disruption was caused as the men left the woman's hot taps running, resulting in her storage tank running out of hot water.
Distraction burglaries typically target the elderly, but put all people at risk of invalidating their
home insurance if a theft is committed by somebody they have knowingly let into their home.
InsureandGo can provide home insurance to protect your possessions against thieves.
