DETECTIVES have sent warning letters to residents of South View, Basingstoke, after a spate of burglaries involving elderly victims in March.

The letters, delivered to homes in Shooters Way and Doswell Way, warn residents to look out for people behaving suspiciously, and encourage them to watch out for people calling on the homes of their neighbours - especially those who are elderly or vulnerable.

The first incident happened in Shooters Way on Monday, March 8, between 11am and 11.40am. The victim, a 90-year-old woman, answered her door to two men claiming to work for the council. One of them went inside and searched rooms in the house, before the men left without telling the victim. Nothing was taken.

The men are described as white, aged 20 to 25 years and clean-shaven. One had light brown hair and wore jeans and a jumper. The other had dark brown hair and wore jeans and a shirt.

The second incident took place in Doswell Way on Wednesday, March 10. An intruder entered a house through an open window between 6pm and 10pm while the victim, an 89-year-old woman, was at home. A bedroom was searched, but nothing was taken.

A third incident occurred at around 9.10pm on the same day, also in Doswell Way. A man confronted an 81-year-old woman as she put her cat out, and two other men entered the house while she was distracted.

The woman heard noises inside the house and found the two men. She screa-med and left the house, and the men escaped. The victim described two of the suspects. Both are white, one aged 20 to 25 years and the other aged 25 to 30.

Detective Constable Tim Ireson, from Basingstoke police, said: "I would appeal to anyone who has information about these incidents to contact me and I would also like to hear from anyone who has received a call at their home from anyone suspicious.

"I am specifically interested in sightings of vehicles or people who have not been seen before and whose behaviour is suspicious."

Anyone with information should Contact Det Con Ireson on 0845 045 45 45.