Money set aside for grandchildren's presents stolen in Impington distraction burglary

Bogus 'water board' official targeted elderly woman

Anglian Water has urged its customers to be wary of bogus callers after more than £100 was stolen from an elderly woman in a distraction burglary in Impington.

The money was set aside to buy Christmas presents for her grandchildren but was taken after the caller, posing as a water board official, managed to distract her attention.

Now Anglian Water has urged residents to be wary of callers claiming to be from the ‘water board’ - an organisation that has not existed for four decades.

A spokesperson said: “Unfortunately, this time of year we hear of a lot more cases of people targeting vulnerable or elderly customers.

“All too often bogus callers will claim to be from the ‘water board’ – even though this organisation hasn’t existed for 40 years. Hearing those two words should be a sure fire sign that something’s not right.

“We want all of our customers to feel safe in their own home which is why it’s important they know what to expect from a real Anglian Water employee.

“All of our employees carry identification and will happily wait while customers check it. If they are still unsure, they can call our customer contact centre for free on 0800 145 145 at any time of the day and our team will be able to confirm that they are a genuine employee.

“If in any doubt, we urge customers to check with us and not be pressured into letting someone into their home.”