CHESHIRE Police detectives investigating a distraction burglary near Tarporley are appealing for witnesses to come forward.

At around 7.20pm on Monday (November 12) four men approached a house on Duddon Road in Clotton.

Three of them went inside via the back door.

One of the men told the occupier that they were helping the police with burglary prevention work.

He distracted her while the other men searched rooms and stole a quantity of cash.

The offenders then fled in a dark coloured Audi Q3 that was parked outside. It travelled towards Chester on the A51.

The man who distracted the victim is described as white, in his late 20s or early 30s with a chubby build. He was wearing a grey fleece with the hood up, a dark scarf covering the lower part of his face and black trousers.

Enquiries into the incident are ongoing and detectives are urging anyone who witnessed the offenders entering or fleeing the property or saw anything suspicious in the area to get in touch.

They also want to hear from anyone who believes they may have CCTV or dashcam footage of the offenders or the car they travelled in.

Detective Constable Keith Campbell said: “Burglary is a serious offence in which people are targeted in their own home, which is the place they should be able to feel most safe.

“Being the victim of a burglary is always a deeply upsetting experience and it is even more traumatic when it occurs while you are at home.

“The victim has understandably been left extremely shaken up and we are determined to catch the offenders and bring them to justice.

“So I urge anyone who believes they may have information regarding the incident, the offenders or the car they travelled in to come forward.

“The same goes for anyone who thinks they may have CCTV or dashcam footage of the offenders or the car.”

Anyone with information that may help with the investigation is urged to call Cheshire Police on 101, quoting IML 239468, give the details via https://cheshire.police.uk/contact/general-enquiries or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

To submit dashcam footage go online at www.cheshire.police.uk/advice-and-support/roads-and-vehicle-safety/submit-dashcam-footage

To lessen your chances of falling victim to this type of crime, follow this advice:

Make sure that your doors and windows are locked at all times, even when you are at home

Do not let anyone into your home who calls unexpectedly

If you do answer the door, make sure you have it on the chain and ask for identification – police officers will always have ID and you can verify that they are who they claim to be by calling 101 or 999

If you have any doubts about a caller being genuine, do not let them in and ask them to come back later when you are not alone

It is also wise to telephone a neighbour or friend nearby to ask them to come to your property to check out any caller before you open the door to them

If you do let a caller into your home ensure that you close the door behind them − burglars often work in teams and while you are distracted another person may sneak in through an open door – and stay with them at all times while they you are in your property so that you can see what they are doing

Look out for your neighbours and ask them to do the same for you – if you see suspicious activity report it to the police.