A MAJOR water company has teamed up with police in an attempt to crack down on the number of distraction burglaries in Worcestershire.

West Mercia Constabulary is working with Severn Trent Water in its fight against those who make a living from preying on the vulnerable and the elderly.

Detective Inspector Adrian Todd said the most common deception that distraction burglars used was pretending to be from the water board'.

He said: "It is important that residents realise and remember that there is no such thing as the water board.

"If people work for a water company it will have a specific name and all this information will be on the caller's identity card.

"The force is working hard, through its Knock Knock campaign, to raise awareness about the security measures people should take before they let anyone into their home or allow them to do maintenance work. A crime prevention leaflet has been produced, which gives people more advice about what they can do to keep themselves safe.

"People should not be afraid to ask callers for identification. If they are not convinced the caller is genuine they should call and check with the company concerned.

"A legitimate caller will not mind waiting outside while you check their identification properly. If you are in any doubt do not let them into your home."

To help combat distraction burglary Severn Trent Water has created a password protection scheme.

To take part in the scheme customers should contact Severn Trent Water to have a password assigned to them.

When a Severn Trent Water representative calls at their house, the customer asks the representative what the password is. The representative then calls a control centre to obtain the password and relays it back to the customer.

Martin Kane, director of customer relations at the water company, said: "Severn Trent Water recognises the devastating effect that bogus callers can have on customers, which is why we have developed a password scheme.

"However realistic a caller may look or sound, it is unusual for a Severn Trent Water employee to visit without a prior arrangement. All of our employees carry an ID badge and are required to wear them at all times.

Mr Kane said Severn Trent staff didn't mind if customers spoke to them through a closed door. He added: "They can ask them to put their pass through the letter box or up to the window so that they can read it and check the details."