Police issue important message to elderly Sheffield residents

The burglaries have seen criminals gaining access to homes by asking for a drink, to use the toilet or get something from the garden.

The offenders have then used this as an opportunity to look around the house and steal money, phones and purses.

Officers are now asking people who have elderly relatives or neighbours who live in these areas to ask them to be aware of the dangers.

Sergeant Phil Mackey said: “We’re working hard to track down the individuals who we think are responsible for these burglaries and I’m confident we will do.

“Something that I’d really encourage people to do, is speak to elderly relatives, neighbours or friends about this, offer them a bit of advice and tell them what signs to watch out for.”

The police say residents who are not sure who it is at their door should not open it and that they should always check the identity of the caller by calling the company they are claiming to be from.

They also say people should use the telephone numbers listed in their local directory or provided independently by your service provider, not any telephone numbers provided by the caller as they may be bogus.

Residents should also lock their doors and windows every time they leave the house, even when they’re just out in the garden.

And they say people should remove valuables from view, especially on the ground floor of their home, and keep things like keys away from their letterbox.

Much more advice can be found here.