BURGLARS stole cash from an 87-year-old woman after tricking their way into her home by offering to clean her gutters.

Two men approached the home of the pensioner in Molyneux Drive, Prescot at 9.15am on Tuesday, August 9.

Detective Constable Sean Kelly-Martland said: "I would appeal for anyone who was in the Molyneux Drive area of Prescot on Tuesday morning who saw the men or saw the van driving around the area to contact us.

"We would always advise people to be vigilant when dealing with strangers.  The best way to stop all the issues with cold callers is to simply not answer the door to them.

"A cold-caller is anyone who you don’t know who calls at your door unannounced.

"They don’t always have to be selling something and there can be a variety of stories they will give you in order to get you to allow you in.

"The main thing to remember is that you don’t have to answer your door to them and it is not rude or impolite not to let them in.

"Genuine, legitimate callers will always make an appointment first and will always carry proper identification.

"They will not mind waiting outside while you look up their company and call to check who they are. And if you still have any doubts, ask them to come back another time when you can have a friend, neighbour or relative with you.

"Neighbours can also play a big part in helping protect the more elderly or vulnerable members of our community by keeping an eye out for them, making sure they are okay and reporting anything untoward or suspicious to the police."

Contact Knowsley CID on 0151 777 6255 or the confidential Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111.