A WOMAN persuaded a pensioner to let her into their home and then stole £200 in cash.

The woman knocked on the door of the 85-year-old’s home in Nursery Road, Ditton, between 5.15pm and 5.30pm on Saturday, asking for a piece of paper and a drink of water. After she left, the pensioner discovered the cash was missing.

The offender was white, with straight, shoulder-length hair and spoke with a northern accent.

The incident is the latest in a series of distraction burglaries in the area.

Last Monday, an an 86-year-old Snodland woman was in her garden when she was approached by a man who showed her an ID card.

While they were talking, a second man went inside, and was found in the bedroom by her 94-year-old husband. Nothing was taken in the incident, which occurred between 10.30am and 11.10am.

The first man was white, aged 30, with dark brown hair, clean-shaven and wearing a dark jumper and jeans. The second man was white, aged 28 to 30, with dark brown hair, wearing a dark suit, white shirt and tie.

They both spoke with a southern accent.

On Tuesday, April 12, a man persuaded a 75-year-old woman to let him into her home in London Road, Allington, by claiming he had dropped a hammer in her garden. She later found her purse, bank book and pension book missing from her handbag.

Witnesses or anyone with information about any of these incidents, should call Maidstone and Malling Police on 01622 608189 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.