Elderly woman becomes victim of distraction burglary in Hailsham

Wednesday, 29 April 2020 16:49

Police are investigating after an elderly and vulnerable woman was the victim of a distraction burglary in Hailsham. Officers said the 86-year-old victim - who lives alone - was approached by a man last Monday (April, 20), who came to the house and claimed he had completed gardening works there. The victim gave the suspect cash for the works - which have not been done - and after he left she noticed her house keys and car keys were missing. Detective Constable Paul Kelly said: "This distraction burglary has caused significant distress to the victim and her family. "While this is a rare and isolated incident I cannot stress enough to please be vigilant in your local area. "Do check up on your elderly neighbours from time to time and keep your eyes peeled for anything unusual happening. "If something doesn’t look right or looks out of place please report it to police." The suspect is described as a tall white man, believed to be in his late 20s, and of a slim build with short brown hair. Anyone with information is asked to call 101, quoting reference number 1395 of 20/04. More Radio is continuously dedicated to providing a quality news service on-air and online, reporting local stories that matter across Sussex. If you found this story useful, then check out our home page at moreradio.online where you can find the latest from the county, along with features and competitions from our presenters, as well as listening to the station live.You can also sign up to our news alerts to receive updates on new stories. Simply click on the bell at the bottom right of the home page. This will then allow a pop-up which will ask if you would like to receive alerts. Press ‘allow’ and you’re all signed up!You can also follow us on Facebook and on Twitter.