Police have released an e-fit image of a man they want to speak to in connection with a ‘despicable’ incident in the town earlier this month.
An elderly woman was conned into parting with £140 before being robbed in a distraction burglary on Wednesday, March 10. The incident occurred at around 12.30pm as the elderly woman was walking to Morrisons supermarket along Worting Road when she was approached by a man who claimed to know her from doing some work on her roof a few years ago.
Despite the woman not remembering him, he told her there was a joint on her roof that needed fixing and offered to do the work for her. The woman claimed she would think about it and walked off. When she returned home, to Downsland Road, the same man was outside her house and said he had completed the work and asked for £140.
She went inside to get the money and gave it to him. The man asked her to go upstairs and look at the work he had done. The victim did so and returned to say goodbye before the man left. She noticed that her £3,000 savings had been stolen.
PC David Cook, of the Basingstoke Targeted Patrol Team, said: “This was a wicked attack where the offender has targeted a vulnerable elderly woman in her own home.This kind of crime is despicable and cowardly and we want to find the person responsible. Were you in the area on Wednesday? Did you see the man or anything suspicious? If you did, please contact us as soon as possible. We would remind people to always check the identity of cold callers, if you are unsure about who they are do not let them in.”
Anyone with information about he incident can contact PC David Cook at Basingstoke police station on 101 or call the Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555 111.
For more information about policing in the area visit www.hampshire.poilice.uk
