Elderly woman loses hundreds of pounds in distraction burglary in Ipswich
Police are asking for witnesses and urging people to stay vigilant
Police are urging witnesses to come forward and advising caution after an elderly woman had hundreds of pounds stolen in a distraction burglary in Ipswich.
The incident took place on Kelly Road between 4.26pm and 4.30pm on Tuesday, 2nd December.
A man approached the victim, claiming he needed help with work being carried out at a neighbouring house. The victim was asked to run taps in her kitchen and bathrooms, while the man proceeded to steal £500-600 from her purse during a search of the home.
The suspect has been described as a white man, aged around 40, with dark hair. He is believed to be shorter than 5ft 9ins tall and was wearing dark clothing resembling work attire.
Police have noted that similar attempted distraction burglaries occurred in November in Bury St Edmunds and Newmarket, where individuals pretending to be tradesmen entered properties claiming they needed to inspect for leaks or damages.
Investigators are carrying out enquiries in Ipswich and the surrounding areas, alongside reviewing door-to-door and CCTV footage.
Residents with doorbell cameras or dash-cameras are encouraged to check their footage for anything suspicious near Kelly Road.