A MAN posing as a vicar conned his way into the home of an elderly woman recovering from an operation and stole her purse containing about £30 in cash.

The cruel conman called at the 91-year-old victim's home in Roscoe Street, St Helens, at about 3pm on Tuesday, April 28, saying he had come from St Thomas' Vicarage to find out how she was after her operation.

As the woman was letting him in, he told her a young boy outside had kicked a ball into her back garden and she told him to stay in the house while she went out to look for it.

When she returned, the man told her he was the vicar of St Thomas Church and said he would escort her to church whenever she wanted to go. He then left the house and a few minutes later the woman realised that her purse had been stolen.

The thief was white, aged around 30 and about 5ft 2ins tall. He had short, dark hair and a round face and was wearing a dark jacket.

If you have any information on the theft, you can contact DC Nigel Heslop at St Helens CID on 0151 777 6876 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.