A detective has today issued a warning to crooks looking to cash in on elderly and vulnerable people living in Norwich and beyond.

Detective Sergeant Pete Jessop, from Norfolk Constabulary's Operation Radar team, which specialises in cracking down on bogus callers, said those caught preying on the vulnerable would be brought to justice.

He said: 'The sentences handed out by Norwich Crown Court reflect the seriousness that we all take in dealing with these offenders who have no regard for the safety and well being of the county's elderly and vulnerable. Norfolk Police, through the work carried out by the Safer Neighbourhood Teams and the Radar team, will continue to deal as robustly as the law allows and stop these people conning victims out of their money.'

Det Sgt Jessop, who urged family, friends and neighbours, to keep an eye out for anything suspicious, was speaking out following two prison sentences imposed at Norwich Crown Court last week.

Peter Cullen, 48, of Brooke Place, Norwich, was jailed for two years after pleading guilty to theft.

The court heard Cullen, who had befriended his 80-year-old victim, who lived at Douro Place, Norwich, had used her bank card to withdraw �2500 from her bank account.

Meanwhile Duncan McPhee, 31, of Flowerdew close, Hethersett, was sentenced to 10 weeks imprisonment for fraud after changing his plea during a trial. He had cheated an 87-year-old from Drayton, out of �80 for guttering work she had not wanted to be carried out.