Distraction burglary, often called ‘bogus callers’ or ‘burglary artifice’, is a crime primarily targeted at vulnerable older people. Offenders pose as officials, including council workers, police officers and utility workers, in order to gain access to homes. Once inside they distract the victim and commit the burglary.

We have undertaken research into older people and minority ethnic communities as victims of this crime as part of the Reducing Burglary Initiative (RBI).


Key publications

• Approaches to Tackling Distraction Burglary – lessons from recent research (published on the Government Office for the East of England website)
  
• Distraction burglary amongst older adults and ethnic minority communities, Home Office Research Study 269, 2003