A THIEF stole money after talking his way into the home of an elderly man in York.

At about 11.30am yesterday, a man called at the Bramham Avenue home of a man in his eighties, claiming to be from the waterboard and asking to check his taps.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said the suspect asked the elderly resident to turn on his kitchen taps and empty a basin of water into a drain outside, and while this took plac,e searched the property and stole an amount of cash.

The man is described as white, aged in his late twenties or early thirties with a tanned complexion, about six feet tall, slim, and wearing a dark baseball cap, short sleeved shirt, trousers and shoes.

Detective Sergeant Fionna McEwan of York CID, said: “Targeting elderly and trusting people in this way, is truly deplorable and I’m sure members of the public share our desire to bring whoever has committed this crime to justice.I am therefore appealing to members of the public to contact us if they have any information which could help our investigation.”

“Please also look out for your elderly neighbours, relatives and friends and ensure they stick to our advice of not opening their door to anyone they are not expecting. Please also ensure you keep your doors locked, both front and back, during the hot weather. It is very tempting to leave it open, but opportunist criminals will take advantage of this.”

Anyone with any information should contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, email YorkCID@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk or phone Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.