Hackney police cadets have been advising residents on the devastating effects of distraction burglaries.
Offenders will often pose as council workers or utility service staff to trick or distract an occupant to gain access to their premises.
Guises used by crooks include playing for sympathy by asking to use their phone or toilet, claiming they have lost their ball in the garden, or suggesting that there is a problem with the water or electric and offering to fix a fault in the premises.
Officers and council officials accompanied the cadets as part of a drive against the crime by Hackney Council and the police.
DI Paul Ridley said: “I have witnessed the devastating effects of these crimes.
“These despicable individuals deliberately target the elderly and vulnerable, sometimes only stealing a few pounds but often leaving people afraid in their own homes.”
His advice is to keep all doors locked, even when at home, and to check any callers’ ID by phone.
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