Warning after distraction burglary in Newton near Alfreton
Officers are warning the public following a distraction burglary in Newton, near Alfreton.
At around 3.45pm yesterday (21 February) a man knocked on the door of an elderly woman at a house off Main Street, Newton, explaining that he was doing some renovation work and needed to check the water pressure.
He ran the tap and then told the woman, who is in her 70s, to knock on the table if the water pressure changed. The man then made a search of the house, stealing money from her purse and then leaving just before 4pm.
The man is described as white, approximately 5ft 7ins tall with a large belly. He was dressed in a dark coloured jumper and was wearing a flat cap.
Officers would like to hear from anyone who was in the area at the time and may have seen the man described above – or may have CCTV or dashcam footage from the area at the time of the incident.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Derbyshire police using any of the below methods, including reference 21*103356:
- Facebook – send us a private message to /DerbyshireConstabulary
- Twitter – direct message our contact centre on @DerPolContact
- Website – complete the online contact form www.derbyshire.police.uk/Contact-Us.
- Phone – call us on 101.
They are also asking that people remind elderly or vulnerable relatives about the following doorstep safety advice:
LOCK- keep your front and back doors locked, even when at home
STOP - are you expecting anyone?
CHAIN - if you decide to open the door, put the chain on first
CHECK - ask for the caller's ID and check it by phone
- Encourage older and more vulnerable people to get into the habit of always locking their doors and by using a door chain or spy-hole.
- Telephone a neighbour, or a nearby friend, and ask them to come along to help check out the caller before you open the door to them.
- Insist on checking the identity of the caller. If they are genuine, they will not mind waiting or returning later. Do not use any telephone numbers provided by the caller as they may be bogus.
- Don't keep large quantities of cash at home; put it in the bank or post office where it is safe.
- Remember, it is not rude to refuse to let a stranger into your home.
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