DETECTIVES have urged families to warn their elderly relatives against bogus officials after an 80-year-old woman had her pension book stolen by conmen who called at her home.

Since Christmas, there has been a series of incidents in Blackburn, where bogus callers claiming to be from the council or utility companies have stolen valuables once they have talked their way into pensioners' homes.

In this latest incident, a woman aged 80 had her pension book stolen when two people called at her Cornelian Street home.

Police are investigating whether this theft was linked to one last week, where two men claiming to be from the council called at an elderly person's home saying they had to measure up for work that needed doing.

Detectives later discovered there was no such council initiative in the area.

Det Sgt Debbie Howard, of Blackburn CID, said: "Bogus callers are a problem from time to time. In this latest incident the lady is quite confused and can't remember much about this theft."

"We would urge people to warn their relatives not to let strangers into their home and to always check the identification of people who claim to be officials of any kind."

Bank Top Community Association has recently launched its own crackdown on bogus callers after a spate of incidents in the area.

The group is organising a leaflet drop in the area, urging people to beware of bogus officials and asking them to join a new neighbourhood watch scheme.