WOODFORD BRIDGE: Bogus gardener swipes £500 from pensioner (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

WOODFORD BRIDGE: Bogus gardener swipes £500 from pensioner

3:53pm Thursday 9th July 2009 in

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POLICE are hunting a conman who stole £500 from a pensioner by pretending to be a gardener looking for work.

The thief was invited into the 87-year-old woman's back yard, in Tomswood Hill, Woodford Bridge, after knocking on her door asking if she needed any work done.

But while the pensioner was getting him a drink, the bogus gardener sneaked into her home and made off with a box containing the cash.

Police said they arrived on the scene within six minutes once the woman realised what had happened, but the man had already driven off in a coloured Ford Escort type car.

The conman is described as a white man aged about 40.

Anyone with any information about the burglary, which happened at around 1.45pm on Wednesday June 24, should call Fairlop Safer Neighbourhood Team on: 8645 2681.