THREE men claiming to be police officers forced their way into an elderly man's home and locked him in a cupboard while they ransacked the house.

The incident occurred in Pocket Nook Street at about 2.30pm on Monday, when the 63-year-old heard a knock on his front door and voices shouting that they were from the police. He ignored them but the callers then went round the back of the house and forced open the back door saying they had been sent by the police to search for pornographic photographs.

After being asked for identification, one of the intruders produced a card. The old man was then dragged across to the cupboard under the stairs and shoved in. When he managed to free himself after about 10 minutes, the trio had gone and the £80 was missing.

All three men spoke with local accents and were about 5ft 10ins tall with short dark hair. One was stockily built, in his mid-30s and wearing a short-sleeved white shirt and grey trousers. The man with the ID card was about 30 and wore a short-sleeved red shirt and black trousers.

ANYONE who saw anything should contact DC Lisa Malloy at Crime Management on 0151 777 6053 or ring Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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