THIEVES dressed up as police officers to steal from the pensioners it has emerged.

Police are investigating three incidents in Adderbury, near Banbury where men donned blue overalls and stab vests – similar to police uniforms – to dupe pensioners out of cash.

The thieves also used a stolen or forged police identity card to get into the homes of their victims. A total of £630 was stolen.

Police have not made any arrests, but have issued advice to the elderly about checking on officers’ identity.

Det Insp Steve Duffy said: “There were three incidents on December 22 last year.

“Two or three people were going around pretending to be police officers.

“They were preying on elderly people. In one incident, they knocked on the door and said there were youths in the area and they wanted to check nothing had been stolen. They ask them where they keep their money, distract them and steal it.”

A police spokesman said if anyone was in doubt about someone claiming to be a police officer, they should keep the door chain on and call the Thames Valley Police non-emergency telephone number, 08458 505505, for confirmation of an officer’s identity.