Police are looking for a man who posed as a gutter repairer and blagged his way into an elderly couple’s home before demanding cash.

At around 5pm on Tuesday, March 14, the man knocked at the home of the couple aged in their 80s at Oak Lane in Graveley.

He claimed he was from the North Hertfordshire Homes housing association and said his team had been clearing the front guttering and now needed to check the guttering at the rear of the property.

The elderly lady allowed the man into the home and escorted him into the garden. He looked up at the guttering and then walked back through the house to the front door, before stating that the cost of the work would be £4 per gutter.

The woman became suspicious and questioned the man, who quickly made his excuses and left.

The couple then contacted North Hertfordshire Homes who confirmed that no one had been sent out to the property and recommended contacting the police.

The man is described as white, aged in his 30s, of slim build, around 5ft 10in tall, with fair/ginger short curly hair. He was wearing a pullover with a T-shirt underneath and loose petrol blue coloured jeans and was driving a white coupe-style vehicle.

PC Kirsty Rusbridge, from Herts police’s Operation Manhunt unit, said: “Thankfully, the victim did not leave the man alone in the address at any time and nothing was taken. She did exactly the right thing by refusing to engage with him and contacting the housing association to check whether the caller was legitimate.

“I am appealing for anyone who thinks they may have seen this man in the area, or been targeted in similar circumstances, to please contact police.

“I would also urge people to remain vigilant around unexpected callers and always ask for identification before letting people into their homes. If you aren’t sure, don’t open the door.”

Nicola Price, community investment coordinator for North Hertfordshire Homes, said: “All North Hertfordshire Homes staff and contractors carry photographic identification and concerned customers can call us on 0330 343 0016 to check if we’ve sent anyone to their property.”

Anyone with information about the incident should contact the Operation Manhunt unit on Herts police’s non-emergency number 101, quoting crime reference G1/17/761.