A THIEF conned his way into an elderly lady' s home, then shut her in the bathroom so he could steal £20.

It was the first of two 'bogus caller' style burglaries at similar times within yards of each other.

The man called at the 94-year-old woman's home on Appletree Close, Lancaster at 3.20pm last Thursday.

He claimed to be checking the water pressure before barging past her and running taps in the bathroom and sink.

He told his victim to hold the taps and wedged the bathroom door shut.

The woman was able to escape, but, on being confronted, the man made off.

He is described as white, 30 years old, 5ft 11in tall, of stocky build, with short, brown hair, clean shaven with dark pants and spoke with a local accent.

In a similar incident, 10 minutes later, a thief approached a house at Tunstall House, Hala Road, and told the 80-year-old occupant he was from the gas company.

While distracting the woman, he searched the rooms and stole cash, an 18-carat gold diamond ring with three diamonds and an 18-carat gold eternity ring with six diamonds.

He then made off.

The man wise described as well built, tall, with short, dark hair, upper side teeth missing on the left hand side, and he also had what may have been a hair lip scar on the left, aged in his mid 50s, wearing a dark coloured boiler suit with an ID badge on the waistband, clean shaven with black, thick rubber-soled shoes.

He may have been driving a small blue Ford hatchback.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Lancaster police on 01524 63333 or the confidential Crimestoppers line on 0800 555111.