"Has he come to fix a leak or pinch your pension?"This was one of the questions police officers from across the region were asking when they launched the campaign to protect people from distraction burglaries.

"Has he come to fix a leak or pinch your pension?"

This was one of the questions police officers from across the region were asking when they launched the campaign to protect people from distraction burglaries.

The joint campaign, which involves Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Essex and Hertfordshire focused on bus advertising, posters and advice from police and safety community officers who deal with this on a daily basis.

It was launched at the Cornhill in Ipswich, today at 10.30am and there were plenty of experts on hand to give advice.

The campaign focuses on the family and friends of elderly and vulnerable people and asks the question, "Who is at mum's door?"

There will also be two huge banners touring the libraries in Ipswich, Lowestoft and Bury St Edmunds with the slogans, "has he come to fix a leak or nick your pension? And "has he come to read your meter or steal your savings?"

The month-long campaign will also highlight the 'stop, chain check' safety message visible on buses and leaflets throughout the region.

Mike Shields, of the Home Office crime reduction team, said: "This is targeted at people who have elderly friends or relatives living alone.

"So that they can make sure vulnerable people know how to protect themselves from unwanted callers, and that they have the security equipment to do this."

Peter Monk, a Suffolk County Councillor said: "The most powerful tool we have against people who target the old and vulnerable is knowledge of how they work and who they target.

"By joining forces we can get a clear warning to the public of all ages to, 'stop,chain check', before you let them in."