A 77-YEAR-OLD South Woodford man was robbed of £1,700 by three men who bluffed their way into his flat by pretending to be from the Water Board.

The elderly man answered a knock on his front door in Lyndhurst Court, Churchfields, at 2pm on Tuesday, February 21, to a man who said there was a leak in the flat upstairs and that he needed to check the man's plumbing.

He followed the thief into the kitchen where he fiddled around at the sink and told him he could get some new taps for him. When the thief walked out of the kitchen the man followed him and saw two other men in his lounge. When he asked who they were, they also said they were checking for leaks from the flat upstairs.

After the three left, the man found the money missing and called the police. They are looking for one man described as around 29 years old, 5ft 6ins tall, Asian, with short hair, and two men described as around 30 years old, 5ft 7ins tall, white, and slim.

Anyone with information should call DS Angelina Monlouis in Ilford CID on 8345 2667.