A 65 year old man became the victim of a distraction burglary because he was trying to be helpful.

The incident happened on Friday 1st June at 14.30, when the man was returning inside Oxbridge Court on Oxford Road North, when he noticed a woman walking up the drive towards the communal door.

Being helpful, the victim allowed the woman into the communal area and to go up the stairs.

The female suspect later knocked on the victim's door and asked if she could come in and write a note for her neighbour.

The victim, again thinking he was being helpful, let her in and she went into the kitchen, shut the kitchen door and asked for a piece of paper and a pen. The suspect then asked victim to list all the items that were in her handbag.

It was later when when the victim checked his bedroom drawers that he found they had been searched and money taken.

He described the suspect as a female Asian, 40 years old, 5'3" tall wearing white trousers, white shirt, black jacket, short black hair. She spoke with an Italian accent.

If you have any information that could help identify the suspect please call Hounslow CID in confident on 0208 247 6160/5940 or Crime Stoppers 0800 555111 anonymously.

June 14, 2007