CHESHIRE West residents are being urged to help stop older members of their communities becoming victims of distraction burglary.

Jayne Elkin and Joe Nettleton, students from the University of Chester, are working with Cheshire Constabulary’s Crime Reduction Advisor Dave Owens to develop an initiative aimed to reduce these types of crimes.

Police say despite some recent arrests, there has been an increase in this type of crime over the last few weeks. They are mostly bogus officials pretending to be from water or electricity companies, saying they are doing work in the area.