POLICE officers have been left shocked by the scare tactics used by a ruthless crook who stole the savings of a 90-year-old Upavon woman.

Con men carrying out distraction offences are resorting to more and more outrageous ploys to get their victims to let them into their homes.

At Fairfield, in Upavon, on Friday the 90-year-old was sitting in her home at about 6.40pm when there was a loud banging at her door.

She heard a man outside shouting: "Quick, quick, your boiler is going to explode."

The woman opened her door to be confronted by a frantic man in black boiler suit saying: "You must get your things together and get out."

The sheer effrontery of the man and his claims that her central heating boiler was about the explode confused the pensioner into believing that he was genuine.

Not only did she let him into her house, she led him to her bedroom where her savings were hidden and to her jewellery case.

The con man told his victim what she should or should not take and insisted that her cash and valuables should be a priority.

When they returned to the sitting room and the woman had time to collect her thoughts, she found that her caller had disappeared together with her lifetime's collection of rings and necklaces valued at £3,020 and about £450 in cash.

PC Gary Sears, who is investigating the incident, said because of the panic of the situation the elderly woman had little chance to get a good look at the caller. She was only able to tell officers that he was wearing "a smart and tidy" black boiler suit.

PC Sears said the pensioner had come through her ordeal remarkably well and was unharmed, although sadder but wiser.

He said: "Considering she is 90 years old she has stood up to it very well.

"She has a lot of support from relatives and her neighbours are very good as well."

Police want to hear from anyone who was in the Upavon area at about 6.30pm on Friday and might have seen a man wearing a dark coloured boiler suit. They are particularly keen to hear if anyone saw him with a vehicle.

They also want to hear from anyone who has been the victim or attempted victim of a similar ruse.

PC Sears said the Upavon incident was the first time he had heard of this particular way of scaring a pensioner into showing where their valuables and savings were kept.

He said: "We keep on advising people, particularly the elderly, to let no-one into their homes unless they are sure who they are.

"But what do you expect a women of 90 to do when someone hammers on her door and says her boiler is about to explode?"

One retired Marlborough gardener living in sheltered accommodation had £17,000 in cash stolen from his home two years ago.

Some months later the thieves returned and stole another £3,000 that they had missed on their first visit.

Police have set up a special operation called Litotes in a bid to build up a picture of the thieves who are preying on the elderly.

Police forces in the South West are sharing information about distraction offences in the hope that patterns of activity can be identified and the perpetrators caught.

Anyone who can assist the police is asked to contact Pewsey police station on (01672) 562222.