Police are warning elderly people to be on their guard against bogus callers.

Chief superintendent Paul Dowell, of Sutton Police, said the warning follows an alarming number of such incidents in and around the Sutton area last week.

And with Christmas approaching, it is important to remain extra vigilant, he said.

"We can reasonably anticipate that in the run-up to Christmas, this sort of activity will get worse.

"We are asking the neighbours of the elderly to knock on the door of the older person and just remind them to be vigilant and watch out for any suspicious-looking characters.

"They need to be careful and must not let anybody in without an ID card."

Supt Dowell added that if anyone is worried about an elderly neighbour being particularly vulnerable, they should notify police.

December 4, 2001 18:18