CALLOUS thieves barged past an 87-year-old wheelchair-bound man as he sat in his doorway and stole cash from his house.

The elderly man, who is also registered blind, was sat in the sunshine at the front of his house in Knavesmire Crescent, in South Bank, at about 6pm on Wednesday when a man approached him and claimed he was from the water board.

When the victim refused to let him in, another man and a youth forced their way past him and into the house.

Police are now warning people to be on their guard about bogus water board officials.

A York Police spokesman said: "The victim was approached by a male who claimed to be from the water board.

"He said he needed access to the house to check things out.

"He was denied access and was joined by two others who barged their way into the house.

"They made a messy search of the front room and stole an amount of cash."

Police are now appealing for witnesses to the burglary and are making house to house inquiries in the area.

They are warning people - particularly the elderly - to be on their guard and not let anyone in unless they have official identification.

The man who first approached the victim was described as white, aged about 45 and 5ft 8ins tall.

The two people who barged past were described as a man aged about 40 to 45, and 5ft 8ins tall, and a 15-year-old youth, also white, about 5ft 6ins tall, of proportionate build.

He was wearing a baseball cap, black jacket and dark trousers.

The Press told earlier this week how police were warning people to be on their guard after a spate of sneak-in burglaries targeting elderly people in York.

There were six distraction burglaries reported to police in Acomb last week, mainly in the Beckfield Lane area. The conniving burglars have been using excuses to get into the houses of elderly people - such as pretending they have lost a ball in their garden, or asking for a drink of water - and then stealing from them.

PC Graham Cooper, of the neighbourhood policing team for Acomb, said: "I would ask that residents be extra vigilant and do not let anyone in.

"I would ask that people watch out for their neighbours or vulnerable residents in their street. If you are suspicious of any callers close the door, lock it and contact the police."

Anyone with information about the South Bank burglary is asked to phone York CID on 0845 60 60 247.