A SOUTHAMPTON pensioner has spoken of how he was duped into letting a gang of burglars into his home under the pretence they were water company workers.

The disabled 74-year-old had his home searched by a trio of thieves who called at the door of his house in Honeysuckle Road in Bassett.

Speaking to the Daily Echo the pensioner, who asked not to be named, told of how he has been left angered by the burglary.

"I just can't believe I didn't twig what was going on. The first I knew about it was when one of them came to the door and asked for someone I hadn't heard of.

"Then another man came up and said there had been a burst water pipe and they needed to come in and check the pressure in my taps.

"While one of them kept me talking in the kitchen the other went upstairs to check the taps. Even when he came down I didn't think anything of it.

"I also saw a third man out the corner of my eye going out the door but I thought it was another workman."

The thieves searched the 74- year-old former delivery driver's home looking for cash or jewellery, but didn't find any.

The pensioner, who served in the British Army, said he was disgusted by the men who tried to steal from him.

He said: "It is awful, I find it absolutely despicable that these people show absolutely no respect or courtesy for anyone else.

"When I was working I used to spend time talking to older people and children but you just don't get that now, no one cares."

Police are hunting the thieves who they believe struck at another home in Southampton stealing a substantial amount of cash from an 84-year-old woman in Burns Road, Bitterne, again telling her they were from a water company.

Both thefts that occurred on Tuesday and Wednesday last week respectively, have been branded despicable by police.

A spokesman for the Burglary Investigation Unit, said: "These are appalling crimes committed in the homes of some of the most vulnerable members in our community.

These people can see who they are stealing from that makes the crime all the more despicable."

Police are appealing for witnesses to either incident to contact the BIU on 0845 045 4545.