OAPs hit by burglars five times a day

4:23pm Wednesday 20th August 2008

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Thieves prey on the elderly in their homes every five hours in Sussex, police fear.

Detectives believe up to six OAPs every day fall victim to crooks who con their way into their properties and steal their valuables.

But they think many people are left so embarrassed at having been tricked into opening their doors that they never report the crimes to police.

Now Sussex Police has launched an operation to identify likely targets for thieves and give them crime prevention advice before they become victims.

There were 207 reported distraction burglaries in Sussex in 2007, a 28% fall from the previous year, but police believe that figure represents as little as 12% of the total number of offences that were actually committed.

On Monday evening a 78-year-old woman in Palmeira Avenue, Hove, had cash stolen when she let people claiming to be water company workers in to check her supply.

Sussex Police has launched Operation Inroad with a dedicated team led by senior detectives to combat distraction burglary.

They believe that rather than trying different houses until they find a likely victim, the criminals know exactly which doors they are going to knock on.

A pilot scheme is being launched in Worthing for police and other authorities to identify possible targets and give them advice before the criminals find them.

Council workers, healthcare staff, pensions visitors, community engagement workers and other officials have been given a phone number and email address so they can tell police if they deal with someone who may fit the profile of a distraction burglary victim.