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PENSIONER has told how a thief posing as a gardener duped his way into her home and stole her purse.

The 86-year-old woman said she is still terrified after the man posing as a gardener sneaked into her Calne home and stole the purse, which contained hundreds of pounds.

The man, described as in his mid-20s, knocked on the door of her home, in The Pippin area, on Friday morning claiming to be from a gardening firm.

The 86-year-old, who is too frightened to be named, refused to let the man in but left the door open as she walked into her home to find a pen.

She said: "I am still shaking now. At first I was not suspicious of the man because he had called about a year ago and he was dressed quite smartly.

"He knocked on the window to be let in and asked if I needed any gardening work doing.

"I said he had to speak to my son before I could agree to any work but he persisted and asked if he could leave a phone number.

"He didn't have a pen so I told him to wait outside while I went to fetch one.

"I walked through to my living room to get a pen and when I turned around he was inches away from me.

"I was very startled because I had not invited him inside. But he just wrote his number down and left.

"About five minutes later I noticed my purse was gone. At first I thought I had mislaid it or put it upstairs but then I realised it had been stolen.

"I was going to buy some bonds with the money but now it's gone."

The woman, who has lived in Calne for over 50 years, said she was extremely shaken by the incident and is too afraid to open the door again.

During the last six months police have seen the number of distraction burglaries soar in the county.

The man is described as in his mid-20s, with short dark hair, clean looking and respectably dressed.

Police suspect he called last year and left a leaflet advertising Houseproud tree and garden services. Anyone with information should contact PC Hans Monahan on 0845 4087000 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

11:04am Thursday 27th March 2008

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