POLICE are warning residents not to let strangers into their home. At around 5pm on Saturday, July 12, an 88-year- old woman in Borovere Close, Alton, opened her door to a man who claimed that there was a fault with her drains. The woman let the man in and he then looked under the sink and quickly left. The man is described as white and in his 20s, around 5ft 7in tall, with short dark hair, and wearing a dark navy blue top. Nothing was stolen and police are urging anyone who may have been legitimately checking residential drains in the Alton area at that time to contact them as soon as possible. In the meantime, the incident is being treated as an attempted distraction burglary. Pc Craig Shears, of Alton police station, said: "Distraction burglary is a very serious crime and offenders often target the elderly or vulnerable people. "We would urge anyone who has had a similar experience to this one to contact police." Hampshire Constabulary offers the following Safer Homes advice to avoid becoming a victim of this sort of crime: "Burglars can fool you into thinking they are genuine callers. Don't be the one who invites them in. If in doubt, keep them out!"
