An elderly Thames Ditton was conned into handing over £3,000 in cash to a “cowardly” thief on Friday, February 19.

The incident took place at a house in The Island between 1.30pm and 4pm, when the con artist knocked on the victim’s door under the pretence he was working for a gas company.

Once inside the property, he told his mark, who was in his 70s, that the boiler needed replacing, but said he needed cash up front.

The elderly resident gave him the £3,000 and he walked away. Soon later the man contacted Surrey Police.

The con man was white, in his 40s or 50s, between 6ft 2in and 6ft 3in and of medium build. He had dark hair and was wearing a light brown coloured cap or hat, a dark jacket and light coloured trousers.

Surrey Police were reviewing CCTV and had carried out house-to-house inquiries.

Detective Constable Kieran Gamble said: “These crimes are always particularly appalling because the suspects target the most vulnerable members of the community.

“Fortunately the victim was not injured, but he has been left shaken and very upset.

“Surrey Police will not tolerate cowardly offences of this nature and I remain determined to bring those responsible to justice.”

Anyone who witnessed the incident should contact Surrey Police on 0845 1252222, quoting reference EL/10/1271, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Surrey Police have also issued advice on how to prevent similar distraction crimes: • Remember to “lock, stop, chain, check”. Think before you open the door - use your chain and spy hole and look out of the window to see if you recognise the caller.

• Utility companies now offer a password identification system. Any caller from one of these companies should be able to a prearranged password as additional proof of identity.

• Beware of callers who attempt to distract you by claiming to have seen something untoward in your rear garden or somewhere which may encourage you to leave your house - they may have accomplices awaiting this distraction.

• If you are not convinced of the identity of the caller, do not let them in. Ask the caller to come back later and arrange for a friend, relative or neighbour to be present on their return, or ask the caller to contact this person.

• Remember, a genuine caller will not mind waiting while you check their identity thoroughly.

• Look out for your elderly relatives and neighbours as these criminals identify them as an easy target.

• Treat every stranger with caution. If you are still worried, dial 999 immediately