POLICE are appealing for information after a bogus caller stole a quantity of cash from a 69-year-old man’s house.

A police spokesman said the victim who lives in Holme Avenue in Whickham, Gateshead, received a telephone call from a man claiming to be a council worker on Monday.

He knew the victim’s first name and and told him that he needed to arrange a utility service inspection to be conducted at his address.

The suspect then went to the man’s property at 6.45pm that evening, carrying a dark holdall and wearing dark overalls. He was carrying a clipboard but he did not offer any identification.

He then entered a number of different rooms within the house before leaving with a quantity of cash that he had stolen from the occupant.

The victim of the burglary contacted police when he realised the money was gone and officers have now confirmed that the man was not a legitimate council worker.

The suspect is described as being of slim build, about 5ft 11in tall, aged in his mid 30s and with dark short hair.

Detective Constable Shaun Atherton, of the Central Burglary Team of Northumbria Police, said: “This was a planned and calculated burglary where the offender has gone to extreme lengths to deceive his victim.”

Anyone with information should contact Northumbria Police on 101 quoting log 155 26/04/17.