A 77-YEAR-OLD man was fleeced of £27,000 by rogue builders in a "wicked and despicable'' con.

The victim, who lives in Bexleyheath, handed over nearly all his savings by the crooks who told him his house needed extensive work. But they disappeared with his money after simply replacing a few tiles on his window canopies.

Now Bexley Trading Standards Service and Bexley Police are investigating. A Trading Standards spokesman said: "This was a despicable act on a very vulnerable elderly man.

“Words fail you as to how people can be so heartless. We need other people to be on their guard and be aware that people as wicked as this are around.''

Two or three men told the victim his house needed extensive repairs, such as to his roof, and visited him several times over weeks to supposedly do it. After he emptied his account the crooks phoned him to say he could pay more through his pension.

The alarm was only raised by building society staff after they had noticed the victim had drawn two cheques of £18,000 and £9,000 over a fortnight.

The Trading Standards spokesman said: "The staff became concerned when the victim said he was having work done to his house.

"Banks and building societies are very alert to situations where rogue traders have taken elderly people to the bank to draw out money. With his permission they contacted us and we began to investigate.''

Police and Trading Standards are trying to trace the conmen but they had given no invoices or receipts and left no address or telephone number.

The victim, who is not being named, is a bachelor who lives alone and has no other family apart from one sister. He is now being cared for by social services.

Supt John Powell of Bexley Police said: "The perpetrators clearly have no conscience. I would urge anyone engaging workers not previous known to them to make absolutely sure of their credentials before they authorise work, let alone part with any money."