TWO women in their 80s have been targeted by distraction burglars in Blandford.

Now police have warned others to be on their guard and have asked people to keep an eye on elderly neighbours.

The first incident took place at 10.30am on Monday (July 10) when a man turned up at an address off St Leonard's Avenue.

He said he was there to deliver fencing to a neighbour and that he needed to look in the woman's garden.

The woman accompanied him to her garden for around 10 minutes, leaving her front door unlocked.

She later found a wooden jewellery box, containing a number of items of jewellery, had been taken as well as £35 cash from her purse.

The man she met is described as white, aged in his early 20s, around five feet six inches tall, of slim build and with sandy-coloured hair. He was wearing a T-shirt and jeans.

Just over an hour later a man attended an address in Milldown Road and gave a similar story.

He asked to walk through the second woman's house to the back garden but the woman refused and said she would take him round the side of her property.

She left her back door locked and the chain on the front door.

The man left and the woman did not see anyone enter the house but she later discovered a number of Royal Dalton paperweights had been taken from her living room.

The man is described as white, around five feet eight inches tall, of slim build and wearing smart clothes.

Chief Inspector Guy Shimmons said: "We would urge anyone who has any information about either of these incidents, or who was approached in a similar manner by a man matching the descriptions given, to contact police.

"I would like remind all residents in Dorset not to open their doors to anyone they do not know. If you are unsure, always ask for ID and if you have any concerns about the caller’s intentions, contact a family member or neighbour and inform the police."

Anyone with information is asked to contact Dorset Police on 101 or the free and anonymous Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111.