DISTRACTION burglaries in Cheltenham and Tetbury this week have prompted an appeal for vigilance from Gloucestershire Police.

In an incident between 11.30am and 11.45am in Hine Gardens in Cheltenham yesterday (Thursday February 20) a woman in her fifties was targeted by offenders falsely claiming to be council workers at the address to check the plug sockets.

The first man is described as white, around 30 years old, 5ft 6ins tall, of proportionate build and wearing a blue Puffa style North Face jacket. The second man is described as white, 5ft 6ins tall, with a scruffy appearance and wearing a grey fleece style jumper.

While the victim made the men a drink, they stole hundreds of pounds worth of jewellery, antique silver and watches.

Anyone with information about this burglary should call 101, quoting incident 170 of February 20.

Meanwhile at around 12.45pm on Tuesday (February 18) a woman in her eighties was also visited by distraction burglars in St Mary's Road in Tetbury.

This time they claimed to be visiting to check her water. While one distracted the victim the other stole several hundred pounds in cash and a watch.

The first offender is described as white, 5ft 3ins tall, in his 20s, of stocky build and with short blonde hair. He was wearing a white jumper with a red zig zag pattern on it.

The second offender is described as being white, 6ft 2ins tall, in his 30s and of medium build. He was wearing a red Peruvian hat that hangs over the ears, a black coat and black trousers.

Anyone with information on this case should call 101, quoting incident 185 of February 18.

Senior Crime Reduction Advisor David McFarlane said: "Quite simply do not let anyone into your house unless you are 100% sure they are who they say they are.

"Have a chain fitted to the door so you can open it without giving someone access, check identification and if you have any doubts you can always ring the organisation they claim to be from, or police on 101."

More advice can be found at www.gloucestershire.police.uk.