Five distraction burglaries and attempted break-ins which happened within the space of one hour on Monday evening are being linked by police. The incidents happened in Littleover, Mackworth and Derby. On three occasions a man said he was a water official.
A victim, one of two women aged 80 targeted, had money taken from her purse by two men claiming they were from the water board.
The other woman had cash stolen from her house.
Window forced
Just before 1800 GMT a home owner at Rodsley Crescent, Littleover, sent away a man looking through his window claiming to be a water board official.
Moments later a man was confronted trying to get into the back door of a property in nearby Bretton Avenue.
Then a woman discovered a man trying to force a window open of a property on Fulham Road in Mackworth. He also claimed to be from the water board.
Ten minutes later two bogus water board officials took money from an 80-year-old woman's purse, then money was stolen from the home of a second 80-year-old woman, in Longford Street.
One-Minute World News 
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