A gang of "brazen" burglars searched a pensioner's house as she lay terrified in bed.

The 76-year-old woman was asleep at her home in Laburnum Grove, Colchester, when three men came in through her bedroom window.

The gang told the woman they were police officers and they were looking for drugs - then searched the house while she lay in her bed.

They took about £20 cash in the burglary, which happened on Wednesday night at 9pm.

On Thursday night, burglars were spotted at residential flats in Nancy Smith Close, Colchester, at 5.40pm.

A careworker saw a man and a woman searching one of the flats and, when challenged, they left taking £200 cash

We also reported an 82-year-old woman from London Road, Copford, had been targeted on Wednesday.

Det Sgt Roger Napier of Colchester police warned elderly people to be on their guard. He said: "We are very concerned as there are an alarming number of these burglaries happening.

"They are targeting the elderly because they know they are vulnerable and being very brazen about it. They are definitely the same gang of people.

"We need to catch them before a tragedy happens. They are breaking into the homes of elderly people at night and terrifying them."

The man and woman spotted at Nancy Smith Close were said to be aged between 20 and 30 years. The man was described as white, 6ft tall, black shiny jacket, black jeans with medium length mousy hair. The woman was said to have a long pony tail, wearing a black jacket and jeans.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Colchester police on 01206 762212 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111

A woman returned to her home in West Street, Tollesbury, to find her furniture stacked and ready to be removed. The 37-year-old woman had just returned from a two-day trip. As she went next door to ask her neighbour about any suspicious characters, she witnessed two men trying to break down her front door. The men were scared away when they realised they had been seen. They are described as being in their 40s and of proportional build.

Anyone with information should contact Det Con Julian Cole at Maldon police station on 01621 852255 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111

By Louise Fuller

Reporter's e-mail: louise_fuller@thisisessex.co.uk

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