AN elderly man was targetted by thieves posing as police who talked their way into his home and stole from him.

The 87-year-old pensioner, who has been the victim of burglars several times, was led to believe the con artists were police officers calling at his home in Briercliffe Road, Burnley, to see about installing CCTV.

Real police officers at Burnley Police Station believe the attack is linked to three others that have taken place recently against elderly people in the area.

In this instance the elderly gentleman noticed a man and a woman in his back garden at 4.30pm, on Wednesday.

They gestured to him and when he went outside they said they were police officers looking to install CCTV.

Police said they asked him to show them where he kept his money in the house and he led them to where is wallet containing £120 cash was.

The pair then stole the brown wallet as well as a black jacket and left through the front door.

The pensioner had £500 stolen in a similar incident last October.

In other incidents in the Briercliffe Road area, on Tuesday an elderly woman was the victim of sneak-in thieves who took £120 cash. And on June 1, an elderly man was robbed of a wallet when a woman and a man knocked on his door saying they had come about a damaged wall.

Police say they are potentially the same people but are urging anyone with information or sightings to come forward.

Sergeant Michael Aspden, of Burnley Police, said: "We are appealing for anyone who may have seen anything or any suspicious vehicles in the area to come forward.

"It may be that they have struck at other addresses and they seem to be targetting older people.

"We would urge everybody to ask for ID if someone says they are from the police or ring the communications room to see if they should be there."

The man is described as white, in his 30s, about 5ft 9in, of medium build, wearing a black suit. The woman was wearing a black jacket, was in her 20s, about 5ft 3in tall, with a slim build and dark shoulder length hair and was holding a clip board. Both spoke with local accents.

Anyone with information about these incidents can call Sgt Aspden on 01282 472121.