Spate of con man burglaries (From Brentwood Weekly News)

Spate of con man burglaries

7:30am Saturday 28th July 2012 in News

A SPATE of burglaries was carried out by a thief pretending to be a police officer, gardener or tree surgeon.

Police are appealing for information after the burglaries in the Brentwood area. The first three happened on Friday, July 13. The first was at 1pm in Gloucester Road, Pilgrims Hatch.

The man claimed to be a police officer and said he had caught someone coming out of the homeowner’s house and needed to check for fingerprints. Money was later found stolen from a tin.

Between 3pm and 3.15pm, in Lime Avenue, a man said he was a landscape gardener and asked for work. He then asked for a cup of tea and to use the toilet. The victim later found her purse, cash and cards had been stolen.

At 3.30pm, in Doddinghurst Road, a man knocked on the front door of a house saying he was a tree surgeon and he wanted access to the garden.

The victim said she didn’t have any trees, but the suspect insisted on checking and went around the side of the house into the back garden. The victim later found the suspect in the house and he was asked to leave.

The victim later found a messy search of all the rooms had been carried out, but nothing appeared to have been stolen.

On Saturday, July 14, at 4pm a man went into a house in Hutton Road, Shenfield, through an open front door while the victim was weeding her garden. The burglar was challenged by the victim. He stated he was a gardener and needed some change. After the suspect left, money was found missing.

Ten minutes later, in Harewood Road, Pilgrims Hatch, a man got into a house by stating he was a gardener who would cut the victim’s grass.

Once inside the property the victim challenged the suspect but he stole her handbag.

Det Sgt Charlie Cronin said: “On each occasion the suspect is described as a white man with dark hair, aged between 20 and 40, wearing blue jeans.

“If you saw anyone suspicious, or any vehicles hanging around, please contact me.”

Call Det Sgt Charlie Cronin on 101, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.