An 82-year-old Broad Green pensioner has been the victim of a well-organised lunchtime hoax carried out by two men and a woman.

A young woman knocked at her door claiming she thought her lost cat was in the woman's garden.

But while the victim was pre-occupied in the garden with the woman and one of the men, the other suspect was rifling through one of the bedrooms in the Friday raid. The victim discovered the man who claimed he had seen a boy looking for cash. She checked under her mattress and was relieved to discover the £200 she had hidden there was not missing.

But as they left the room, the man grabbed the money and the suspects fled.

Anyone with information should call Croydon CID on 0181 649 0235.

Croydon police say that the man who was conning hundreds of pounds out of elderly residents by pretending to be a lottery-winning relative has not struck again.

"The intense coverage of the story in the local media, including the Croydon Guardian, seems to have scared him off," said a spokesman.

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