A trio of bogus water board callers have been jailed for a total of 16 years after preying on vulnerable elderly victims in Gravesend and Maidstone.

Stanley Petherick, 52, of Saxon Place, Horton Kirby, Stanley Pearce, 28, of Crockenhill Road, Orpington and Amos Vincent, 32, of Teal Avenue, St Mary Cray, tricked their way into the homes of two residents before stealing their cash and personal belongings.

The court heard that on February 9 a Maidstone resident in his 70s answered the door to men pretending to be from the water board.

The pensioner welcomed them inside but soon discovered that an anorak containing his wallet and house keys had been stolen.

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A short time later, a woman, in her 70s, from Yalding received a visit from the men who claimed they needed to check her pension money to see if it was counterfeit.

She gave them £300 and was told they would bring it back after it had been checked, but she called the police when she realised something was wrong.

The third attempted burglary occurred at a house in Gravesend, where a blind man, in his 70s, was told by the trio that they were police officers who needed to search his house for counterfeit money.

However, he did not believe them and turned the men away at the door.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Lisa Stevens said: “Kent Police takes this type of crime very seriously.

“Law-abiding members of the public should be able to enjoy the comforts of their own home without being targeted by cowardly con artists who prey on the most vulnerable members of society.

“I’m pleased these three men are now behind bars but unfortunately there are others like them out there and I urge everyone to be vigilant and only welcome people into your home if you are absolutely certain they are who they say they are.”

Petherick was jailed for five-and-a-half years and Pearce was locked-up for four years.

Vincent was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in jail.

He was also found guilty of five unrelated fraud offences.

The men appeared at Maidstone Crown Court on September 15.

Earlier this month five people were arrested during a week-long operation targeting rogue traders and bogus callers in west Kent.