105-Year-Old Burgled In Eastleigh

Elderly woman becomes the latest victim of a distraction burglar, in what's being described as a despicable act.

Detectives in Eastleigh are investigating a distraction burglary where a 105 year old woman was targeted by two men.
 
The two men arrived at the woman’s home in Arrow Close, Boyatt Wood, Eastleigh, sometime between 2.45 and 5pm on Tuesday, November 29 posing as Water Company officials.  
 
The men were let in and while one of them distracted the woman in the kitchen, the other man was unsupervised and out of view. A short while after leaving her home, the woman found that her wardrobe had been opened, and £80 cash and jewellery includinga 22ct gold wedding ring which had belonged to her late mother had been removed.  This ring was quite worn on the inside but had been built up with more gold.
 
The offenders are described as:

First Man
• White 
• Aged in his forties 
• Spoke with a local Hampshire accent
• Large build
• Approx 5ft 8ins tall
• Short dark, close cut hair and clean shaven
• He was wearing a brownish colour leather type jacket with a zip up the front and possibly blue trousers but not grey or black. 
 
This man spent several minutes with the woman. 
 
Second Man
• White male 
• Of similar build to his accomplice 
• Not as tall as his accomplice
• Of similar age to his accomplice
• He had similar hair to his accomplice and was also clean shaven. 
• He also wore a brown jacket. 
 
Because of their resemblance, the woman thought the men may have been brothers.
 
The woman was clearly shaken by the ordeal and is now having trouble sleeping.
 
Eastleigh and Romsey District Chief Inspector Andy Houghton said: “This is a despicable and disgraceful crime where heartless thieves have targeted an elderly and vulnerable woman in her own home. We are appealing for anyone who has information about thoseresponsible or who is able to assist us in identifying them from their descriptions to contact us.  Have you had a similar visit recently which you were suspicious of?   
 
“This area of Boyatt Wood is very busy with people visiting the shops, doctors surgery, pupils from Crestwood school passing by on their way home from school and other members of the public walking from the industrial estate on one side of Shakespeare Road to the residential area on the other side. Parents would also have been collecting their child from the adjacent infant school. Did you see two men matching the description in the area at the relevant time?  If so we want to hear from you."
 
Chief Inspector Houghton concluded: “Please be assured that this type of incident is very rare.  Although we have received no other reports similar to this at this time, it is perhaps timely to encourage residents to ensure that any unsolicited or unexpectedcallers to your home should be treated with suspicion until they can prove their identity.  Don’t be afraid to contact the company they claim to represent.  If they are genuine, they won’t mind waiting while you do this.  If you have any doubts, keep them out.”