Warning for Black Country residents after thieves carry out spate of doorstep cons

Police have raised the alarm following 17 reports in the last few weeks of bogus tradesmen targeting pensioners with door-step pitches for gardening or building work.

In some cases the crooks fled after being handed hundreds of pounds ? never returning to carry out the promised labour ? but they've also talked their way into homes and swiped cash behind victims' backs.

They include two thefts yesterday in the space of just a few minutes in Kingswinford.

Two men knocked on an 86-year-old man's door claiming his garden wall needed urgent repairs to prevent it from collapsing ? but one sloped off into his bedroom and pocketed an envelope containing £800 in cash.

And just after midday the despicable duo stole £7,000 in cash from an 87-year-old man.

Dudley Police Superintendent Andy Parsons, said: "These are truly callous offences: vulnerable residents are panicked into believing repair work is needed and conned into handing over large sums of money. Sometimes the men are saying fence panels need replacing, drains unblocking or roof tiles repairing.

"But there are also sinister cases of the men gaining entry to homes and stealing cash after distracting the resident.

"We are working on the theory that many, if not all, of these offences are linked and are determined to bring these offenders to justice.

"If anyone has any information about these offences, has been approached by men offering similar services, or has seen anything suspicious in their neighbourhood that may be related, I'd ask them to contact us on the 101 number."

Since the turn of the year West Midlands Police has been made aware of seven offences in Dudley, five in Sandwell, three in Wolverhampton and two in Walsall ? but officers believe the crooks may have committed even more offences.

The suspects are described as white, 40- to 50-years-old, of medium to stocky build and with Black Country accents. They were wearing dark clothing and black woolly hats.