Red haired bogus caller assaulted pensioners -then struck again

The man they are seeking has an Irish or other foreign accent, is in his 50s and is posing as a water engineer. The man also has distinctive auburn hair and has a beard.

He is being linked to two disturbing incidents in the Central Belt - and police fear he will strike again.

West Lothian officers told this newspaper that the man gained access to a property in Whitburn.

The first incident happened last Tuesday - when the man claimed he was there to turn off the water supply following a burst main.

However it was all a con - and he stole a three figure sum from an 88-year-old man and a 79-year-old woman - and these are the pair he is accused too of assaulting.

However the matter did not end there - and he went on to steal an even bigger sum of cash from another Whitburn home the following day.

Again he posed as a water engineer - and said he needed to search the property. It is thought he was wearing a white wool hat on this occasion.

He pocketed a four figure sum before leaving the second house.

Police believe that a lot of these incidents go unreported because the victims are too embarrassed to come forward - but want to be proactive in ensuring that the man responsible is traced

Deputy Local Area Commander for West Lothian, Myles Marshall said: “These incidents are of great concern.

“I would like to take this opportunity to emphasise to members of the public to be vigilant if an unknown caller appears at your property claiming they are looking to carry out work or repairs.

“Please only trust trades people that you are expecting and always check their identities first. If you have any concerns, please contact police.”

“We are appealing for anyone who may have been in either area at the time or who has any information matching the description of the man to please get in contact via 101.”