A disabled pensioner has relived the moment when she was attacked in her home by a distraction burglar posing as a Sutton Council pensions adviser.

Monya Brown, 70, followed standard crime prevention advice by keeping her door chained while she talked to the stranger last Wednesday morning.

When she refused him entry to her council flat in Wallington, the fraudster then burst through the door and knocked her from her walking frame.

Over the next few minutes he ransacked the bedroom, shouting “where’s the money” while Mrs Brown followed him screaming through the property.

This week the brave tenant said: “He pushed me once and I hit the wall and then he knocked into me again on the way out.

“It was only because I was making such a noise that my neighbour heard me and called the police.

"She then ran after the man in her bare feet with her son.

“I had a really rotten night afterwards and kept thinking there was a man at the window.

"The police seemed to think I may have been suffering from delayed shock.”

The attack was particularly alarming because Mrs Brown appeared to have taken recommended steps for tackling doorstep callers, including using a security chain and asking for ID.

Detective Constable Craig Dingwall, from Sutton police, said: “We are keen to hear from anyone who was in the area of Rectory Lane on Wednesday morning and may have seen anything suspicious.

"We know he tried to gain entry to one other flat beforehand and there is a good chance he visited others.

“Burglary is an invasive crime and the targeting of elderly victims is particularly callous.

"The victim in this case is 70 years old and she has been left extremely shaken by the experience.”

The bogus caller, who wore a dark suit, was described as being Asian or eastern European.

Anyone with any information is asked to call Sutton police on 020 8649 0735.

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