An elderly woman was tricked into inviting a fake tradesman into her Bletchley home yesterday (30/3) and had her handbag stolen.
It happened at around 3pm on Tweed Drive, when the elderly victim was in her kitchen making a cup of tea and heard a knock at the window.
There was a man outside the house who said that he had arrived to look at the guttering, something which the woman received a letter about a few days prior.
The letter had stated that somebody would be coming round to fix the gutters so the lady assumed it was part of the process.
She then invited the man inside the home, and the man removed a bottle of cleaning spray from under the sink.
Police say that when the woman turned around, the male had disappeared - and so had her handbag.
David Huckle, a PCSO in Milton Keynes, has issued advice to residents to help protect the elderly from theft.
It reads: "Please remind all your elderly and vulnerable clients, relatives and neighbours that they should never open the door to a stranger no matter what story they are told.
"These criminals use the element of surprise to confuse their victims and the advice should be to STOP, THINK and TAKE TIME to consider what they are being told.
"If it is not a friend/carer/relative or a pre-arranged appointment, they should not open the door. They can shout through the door or letterbox or use an intercom if fitted.
"Even if there is a chain fitted an elderly or vulnerable person can sometimes be persuaded or intimidated into removing the chain.
"Before going to the front door residents should ensure that their back or side doors and windows are closed to prevent anyone sneaking in unnoticed."
Additionally, if anybody witnessed anything suspicious along Tweed Drive at the time of yesterday's incident then they should file a report with the police. You can do so by calling 101 and quoting the reference number 43210133922.
