FOUR girls stole £500 from a pensioner after tricking their way into his front room. Cyril Gore, 84, of had just received the cash to cover his winter heating bill, plus a week's pension.

He says he has been taken for a fool by the gang - all believed to be aged around 15 - and will not let anyone into his home again without ID.

The retired gardener suffers from arthritis and has lived on his own in Chafy Crescent, Sturry, near Canterbury, since his wife died nearly 10 years ago.

At around 2.45pm on Tuesday he went to investigate a noise in his back garden. "I thought it might be my daughter, but when she didn't call out I went to have a look," he said.

"This girl was there and she said she and her friends had come to visit the lady next door but there was no answer.

"She asked for a pencil and pen to write a note for her, but when I went to get one they followed me in."

The girl took the paper and chatted to him while the others stood near a bureau.

"They didn't hang around long; they said thanks for the paper and just left," said Mr Gore.

A couple of hours later he noticed one of the drawers in his bureau was slightly open. Closer inspection revealed the gang had taken a tin full of receipts and an envelope under it containing the money.

"I'd been to the post office on Saturday to get my £400 winter fuel money, and on Monday I'd gone to get my pension to make it up to £500," said Mr Gore. "I've been taken for a fool, really."

Det Sgt Jeff Vincett said: "These types of crimes against the elderly and vulnerable in our community are particularly cowardly.

"Around £125 each is a significant amount of money for these girls to have, and the incident happened at a time when nearly all children of that age should be at school. Someone will know who they are."

He advised people to use a door bar and never to let callers in unless they were certain of their identity.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Det Sgt Vincett on 01227 762055.