A MAN who posed as a police officer to get into a 86-year-old woman's flat and steal property may have struck before.

Police fear it may be the second time the man has conned a pensioner.

The man, who had a speech impediment, used the intercom to get into the flats at Pentland House, Regent Street, Haslingden, at 5.54pm on Thursday and told an elderly resident he was a plain clothes police officer.

Det Sgt Stuart Barlow said: "He asked her for some tea bags saying that they had run short in Haslingden police station she went into her kitchen.

While she was gone he searched her living room and found her pension and cash behind a cushion.

"He then told her he was making inquiries into an earlier incident which took place some six months ago when a bogus caller had tried to gain entry into her flat.

"He started to ask her about her valuables but she refused to allow him into the rest of the flat and he left."

The man is described as white, slim to medium build, 5ft 5ins tall, aged 30 to 40, wearing a knee-length fawn raincoat, white shirt and black trousers.

He did not have a Lancashire accent.

DS Barlow said he was very concerned that someone should be pretending to be a police officer and he encouraged anyone who was in the area at the time to contact 01706 237442.