Police are urging residents living in west Norfolk to be vigilant following a number of distraction and walk-in burglaries, including in Upwell.

Detectives are investigating four break-ins in Upwell, Hunstanton, Castle Acre and Thornham. The incidents have prompted calls for householders to be on their guard to anyone who cold calls at a property and to look out for elderly neighbours.

A Toshiba laptop, Apple Macbook Air, iPad and a Nikon digital camera were taken during a burglary in Upwell.

Burglars broke into the property on Croft Road between 11.30am on Tuesday and midday yesterday.

On Wednesday, between 2.30pm and 3.45pm, suspect(s) targeted an address in De Warrenne Place in Castle Acre. The incident happened while victim, a man in his 80s, sat on a bench in the garden leaving the door open. Intruder(s) have entered the property, stealing a significant amount of cash amounting to several thousand pounds.

Sometime between 3pm and 5pm suspect(s) entered an address in Castle Cottages in Thornham, telling the elderly victim they were inspecting the water supply. During this time is believed accomplices have entered the lounge and stolen several hundred pounds in cash.

Meanwhile, later in the day the householder of a property in Clarence Road, in Hunstanton, noticed a man standing in his hallway shortly before 5pm who asked the victim if he could check the water.

After becoming suspicious the residents asked the man to leave and as they walked towards the front door the victim noticed two other men had entered the property.

The victim was held and searched while thieves stole his wallet containing a small amount of cash. The man, aged in his 70s, was left shaken but not injured.

Officers believe the incidents could be linked and are keen to hear from anyone with information concerning them or may have noticed anything out of the ordinary yesterday in the areas targeted.

Witnesses should contact Kings Lynn CID on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.