Police Hunting Heartless Thief Who Nicked OAP's OBE

Police are hunting this suspected bogus builder, who snatched an 89 year-old retired pharmacist's OBE, plus cash, after tricking his way into her home.

At around 10.00am on Thursday, March 21, the victim was in her ground-floor flat in the Park Hill area of Croydon.

The suspect knocked on the door and claimed the flat above was flooding and asked to check her's for a leak.

The pensioner let him in and took him into the kitchen.

He asked the pensioner to clear out her cupboard and while she did this, the suspect suddenly claimed he had to leave.

A short while later, the victim realised that her purse, containing £120, had been taken from her handbag which had been left in the living room.

Her OBE medal, which she received in 1987 for her services to healthcare, as well as an OBE pin badge and her Evans Medal for Merit in Pharmacy, were also stolen from a drawer in her bedside table.

Five days later, her purse - without the money - was posted back through the letterbox.

The suspect is described as a white man aged in his fifties, approximately 5ft 7ins tall with grey hair and a grey beard.

At the time of the offence, he was wearing a light-coloured sports jacket, a red shirt, blue jeans, with light-coloured shoes, a black flat-cap and dark-coloured sunglasses.

The victim said: “I was very upset by the incident because it’s a friendly neighbourhood and I was trying to be helpful.

“It was not only the loss of the money, but the medal that meant a lot to me, the OBE having been awarded to me personally by the Queen.

“I would like to warn people to make certain they know the identity of anyone who comes to the door before letting them in.”

Detective Constable Claire Samy, of the Metropolitan Police's South Area CID, said: "The suspect took advantage of this vulnerable woman in her own home - somewhere that should be a place of safety.

"Not only was cash stolen, but so was the victim's OBE medal which has huge sentimental value.

“The victim, who is now a retired pharmacist, received the medal over thirty years ago for her service to the NHS, having spent her career working in numerous hospitals in and around the capital.

"If you can offer any information which could assist the investigation, please get in touch as soon as possible.”