Detectives are appealing for help in tracing a bogus caller and a suspicious car seen at a distraction burglary hotspot.

A man believed to be a bogus official called at an elderly woman's home in Copse Lane, Marston, Oxford, between 6pm and 6.15pm.

He claimed he was from an electricity company, but the householder, who put the chain on her door, refused to let him in.

Oxford police's burglary team believe the incident, on February 11, could be linked to a suspicious silver estate car seen nearby about an hour earlier. Five men and two women were in the car.

Oxford police's burglary team have praised residents for listening to crime-reduction advice that they must not let unknown callers into their homes, and thanked the Oxford Mail for helping to hammer home the message.

Dc Jan Ross, of Oxford police, said: "Throughout the Thames Valley, we are having a lot of distraction burglaries reported. These people are still about and residents should be careful.

"I think we are getting through to people. We do seem to be having more attempted distraction burglaries and fewer full offences."

Police have appealed for the occupants of the silver estate car to come forward to explain why they were there, or for anyone with further information to contact them. Call police on 08458 505505, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.