West Mercia Police are advising people to be on the lookout for elderly and vulnerable people in their community, after an elderly woman’s kitchen was ransacked by rogue traders who had charged her for £1,000 to cut down a tree.

The police were originally called to the woman’s house in Madley by her carers. They were initially concerned about an unknown man, who had cut a tree down for the woman, and she had written him a cheque for £1,000.

However, the bank had not cashed the cheque; they were unable to recognise the signature as the woman’s handwriting had deteriorated and it did not match the signature she had originally given to the bank.

A police officer visited the woman’s home and spoke to the carers. They advised them to remove all the money and cheque books from the woman’s home for safe keeping.

This was was just as well as the police received another call from the woman’s carers on Friday, February 24th.

That day, the carers had arrived at her home, and discovered that her kitchen had been ransacked. The woman told her carers that two men had called for the money, and she had told them that she did not have any, so they entered her home and began searching.

Police investigations are ongoing, and officers have a suspect.

A spokesperson for West Mercia Police said: "Please ensure that elderly and vulnerable members of your family and community are warned against allowing strangers to carry out work - these individuals are known to have left a flyer advertising ’garden services’ and they prey on vulnerable people."

If you have any further information about this incident, which you believe may be of assistance to the police in their investigation, call 101 and give the incident reference number: 380-S-240217.

Alternatively, if you want to give information but don’t want to give your name you can call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or use their anonymous online form at www.crimestoppers.org.uk.