A PENSIONER has today branded cruel burglars who stole cash and jewellery from her home “absolute rogues.”The 83-year-old woman was targeted in a distraction burglary and has spoken out in a bid to ensure other pensioners are on their guard against criminals who use distraction to get into their homes.

A PENSIONER has today branded cruel burglars who stole cash and jewellery from her home “absolute rogues.”

The 83-year-old woman was targeted in a distraction burglary and has spoken out in a bid to ensure other pensioners are on their guard against criminals who use distraction to get into their homes.

The woman, who lives in Needham Market, has asked not to be identified, but told how two men targeted her home just a week after she had come home from a nine-week stay in hospital.

Two men went to her house at around 6.10pm on Wednesday and one of them broke a lock on a conservatory door before trying to force her to let him inside the house.

She said: “I was indoors and they came round to the back of the house, one of them forced his way into the conservatory, which leads to the back door.

“I spoke to one of them at the back door and in the meantime another had gone round the front.”

Despite the man's efforts to frighten her with claims there had been water leak and he needed to get inside, she remembered reading previous warnings in the Evening Star for pensioners to be on their guard and refused to let him in.

She said: “He wanted to turn the water off, but I said I would do it and that if he didn't go I would call the police.

“I had read in the paper about these people who do this and I wasn't going to let him in.

“Eventually I managed to get him out but I couldn't lock the conservatory door because he had forced it.”

Despite her quick thinking, the woman later discovered an accomplice had found his way in through the front door, which had been unlocked to allow her carer to visit.

She said: “I think he came in while I was talking to the other man.

“They took two jewellery cases and my handbag and bank cards. I had £70 in my purse which had just been taken out of the bank. “There was a lot of jewellery and it was all of sentimental value to me.

“They are absolute rogues to do this, I am very upset and shaky.

“They are the type that won't think about the affect this has on people. They have got no thought for anybody else.”

n. Suffolk Police has appealed for information about the burglary and have again reminded people to be on their guard against people who try to trick their way into homes.

The first suspect in this incident is described as white, in his early to mid twenties, 5 foot 11 inches tall and of average build, and was wearing light coloured clothing and a flat cap.

The second man is described as white, in his early to mid twenties, 5 foot 6 to 5 foot 8 inches tall and thick set, and was wearing a purple jacket, white trainers and a baseball cap. He had a local accent.

Anyone with any information should call DC Jim Gidney at Stowmarket CID on 01473 613500 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

n. Have you fallen victim to bogus callers? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or email eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk

FOR too long the older generation has been overlooked as people suffer care homes closing, dwindling pensions, hospital wards closing, and not enough carers in the community.

The Evening Star's Golden Years series aims to make sure that the older years really are Golden Years.

We will:

Listen to our older generation.

Fight for dignity in old age.

Make sure older people get the voice they need to raise the topics that matter to them.

Crusade on issues affecting pensioners.

Inform older people about the help and assistance available for them.

Dig out those inspirational stories that show old age need not be the barrier to a fulfilled and active life.

Champion achievement

This is a hard hitting campaign looking at a variety of issues affecting older people, from care homes to keeping healthy, through to education, crime and entertainment. We want to make sure older people get their voices heard and that we are reporting on the issues that affect them.