RESIDENTS are being warned to be on their guard to unknown callers following a number of distraction burglaries in the county.

RESIDENTS are being warned to be on their guard to unknown callers following a number of distraction burglaries in the county.

Bogus callers struck in Elmswell, near Bury St Edmunds and twice in Ipswich over Friday and Saturday, stealing cash and bank cards.

The first incident took place around 3pm on Friday in Elmswell, when a man gained entry to a property in Thedwastre Close by posing as someone connected with a water company.

He said he needed to run a tap due to problems neighbours were having with their water supply.

A short time later a light tap was heard at the door and the man said he had to go, but would return in 20 minutes. It was found a purse containing some cash was stolen during the incident.

Police said the man is described as white, 30 to 35 years old, 5ft 8ins tall, with black curly hair. He was wearing a three quarter length black jacket with a possible scarf worn around the neck and black shoes.

The second incident happened at around 11.55 am on Saturday in Ipswich.

A man knocked on the front door of a property in Brooks Hall Road and stated he was fitting a water pump next door and needed to turn the kitchen tap on.

He went through to the kitchen with the victim and turned on the tap. At this point a second man entered the property and went into the lounge where the victim's wife was sitting and made some small talk whilst looking around and lifting coats off the table.

She asked him what he was doing and the man went into the hall. She then called for her husband and the man asked what was she doing. She then told him she was ringing police and he left.

It was found an amount of cash was stolen from within the house.

The first suspect is described as white, 5ft 10ins to 6 ft tall, of medium build, 40-50 years old and was wearing a dark woolly hat and a dark or navy jacket or coat.

The second suspect is described as white, 5 ft 11ins to 6ft tall, of stocky build with dark short hair, around 40 years old, was clean shaven and wore a grey three quarter length jacket with buttons to one side.

In a further incident in Ipswich, at around 4pm on Saturday, a man asked to look upstairs at the walls of a property in Boyton Road, saying the next-door neighbours were complaining of damp.

He was taken upstairs by the owner of the property while a second man entered the house and spoke with the victim's daughter, who accompanied the second man upstairs.

The second man then went back downstairs and stole cash and bankcards from a handbag.

Anyone with information about any of these incident is asked to call Suffolk police on 01473 613500 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.