IN the wake of a police appeal for information following the robbery at the home of an elderly woman in Tilbury, it has emerged that several of her neighbours have also been targeted by conmen who talked their way into homes posing as council workers.

A number of properties in the Dunlop Road area of Tilbury are being renovated by Thurrock Council and many homes have scaffolding around them, as work progresses.

Over the weekend Thurrock Nub News reported on the theft of cash and jewellery from a woman in her eighties who lives on Dunlop Road.

A police statement says: "It was reported two people claiming to be council workers attended an address in Dunlop Road, Tilbury, at around 1pm on 22 April.

"They were admitted by the person inside, a woman in her 80s. She later reported jewellery, cash and a bank card had been stolen. We need anyone who saw anything or has any CCTV, dash cam, or doorbell footage to contact us."

Since the robbery the thieves have used a bank card stolen from the victim's home to withdraw cash from her account.

It appears the raid on her home was not the first, with at least two similar raids on homes in the area reported to have taken place by thieves pretending to be council workers. Some residents have asked why a widespread warning of possible danger from a known gang of thieves was not circulated.

One Dunlop Road resident told Nub News: "This is shocking and to learn the raid on my neighbour was not the first is worrying. Knowing that people were going round, posing as workmen, why wasn't a general alert given either in person or by letter to residents?"

Police have asked that anyone with any information about the robberies or the perpetrators, contact them, saying: "If you have any information you can submit a report online at https://www.essex.police.uk where you can use the 'Live Chat' button to speak to an online operator between 7am and 11pm.

"Please quote the crime reference number 42/99862/22. You can also call us on 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111."