OFFICERS hunting the man who rapes pensioners in their homes are convinced a member of the public could hold a vital clue.

They know the rapist is a black man with pale skin aged under 35 who is softly spoken and has an athletic build.

He usually picks homes without burglar alarms, cuts the phone line, removes a whole pane of glass and switches off the electricity before entering, leading them to believe he is a methodical and skilled burglar.

A psychological profile suggests the man is trying to form a relationship with his elderly victims and may even be involved in care work, social services or meals on wheels. DCI David Zinzan said: There must be someone out there who could put forward a good suspect.

They may well only know this person as a burglar or they may know he has an interest in elderly women.

People should have no fear in coming forward because, if the person suggested is not the one responsible, it is very easy to eliminate them.

A reward of £10,000 is being offered for information which leads to a conviction.

Call the Operation Minstead incident room on 020 8649 1666 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 if you have any information.