Police issue urgent warning after women claimed to have coronavirus vaccine to enter house

It is thought that once inside the property, at no point did the suspects produce any kind of medication or try and examine occupants.

Kirklees District CID are investigating the attempted distraction burglary which took place on Monday morning (27 April) at a house on Overthorpe Avenue, Dewsbury.

The incident took place at about 9am after two women, described as Eastern European, knocked on the rear door of the occupant’s home and said they had been sent from the local council to give a coronavirus vaccine.

The householders let them in but quickly became suspicious of the women’s behaviour and asked to see ID.

At that point the women said they would go to their car and get it. They then left the house and did not return.

One of the suspects was described as being aged in her 20s, less than 5ft tall, slim and very petite with dark hair tied back.

The other was in her 40s, about 5ft tall and of a large build with blonde hair which hung down to her neckline.

DS Pete Usher of Kirklees CID, said: “We are investigating this incident which we are treating as an attempted distraction burglary as the suspects did attempt to look around the victims home, but were prevented from doing so by the occupants who followed them around.

“While we have not had any other reports of this type of scam we are urging residents to be vigilant and contact the police if anyone else knocks at their door and asks for entry in similar circumstances.

“We always advise residents to ask to see ID from anyone from an official body who asks to come into their home and persons such as NHS, local authority or police staff will carry photo ID with them.”

He added: “I’d ask anyone who saw these women arrive at the property, leave it, or who has any information about the offence at all to contact Kirklees CID on 101 referencing crime number 13200209643

Editor’s note: first and foremost - and rarely have I written down these words with more sincerity - I hope this finds you well.

Almost certainly you are here because you value the quality and the integrity of the journalism produced by The Yorkshire Post’s journalists - almost all of which live alongside you in Yorkshire, spending the wages they earn with Yorkshire businesses - who last year took this title to the industry watchdog’s Most Trusted Newspaper in Britain accolade.

And that is why I must make an urgent request of you: as advertising revenue declines, your support becomes evermore crucial to the maintenance of the journalistic standards expected of The Yorkshire Post. If you can, safely, please buy a paper or take up a subscription. We want to continue to make you proud of Yorkshire’s National Newspaper but we are going to need your help.

Postal subscription copies can be ordered by calling 0330 4030066 or by emailing [email protected]. Vouchers, to be exchanged at retail sales outlets - our newsagents need you, too - can be subscribed to by contacting subscriptions on 0330 1235950 or by visiting www.localsubsplus.co.uk where you should select The Yorkshire Post from the list of titles available.

If you want to help right now, download our tablet app from the App / Play Stores. Every contribution you make helps to provide this county with the best regional journalism in the country.

Sincerely. Thank you.

James Mitchinson

Editor