A sneak-in burglar took purses and handbags containing sentimental items from four pensioners’ flats within an hour in South Staffordshire, police revealed today.

This is the woman police want to trace in connection with the thefts in Cheslyn Hay.

Items were stolen from the warden-controlled accommodation in High Street between 4.30pm and 5.25pm on Wednesday.

The woman is white, aged in her 20s or 30s, with dark hair and what appeared to be a tanned complexion. She was wearing a light-coloured coat, dark jeans, and white trainers.

Police today revealed CCTV footage taken from the complex in a bid to track down the woman they want to speak to in connection with the thefts.

The theft comes after police revealed conmen are targeting West Midland homes more than three times a day on doorsteps.

Figures show that the number of cowboy traders and burglars who are posing as bogus officials has shot up by 22 per cent in less than two years.

Trading Standards today said cash-strapped families were increasingly falling victim to rogue tradesmen offering apparently bargain rates to carry out work.

The figures from the Consumer Direct database show 925 serious doorstep crimes were reported in the West Midlands during 2008/9 – a rate of around 77 a month – but by this year the number had increased to 1,130, or 94 a month.

Organised rings of conmen are also compiling “sucker lists” of easy targets and selling them on to other rogue traders. Anyone with any information about thefts at Cheslyn Hay is being asked to contact DC 0836 Joanne Kirkland at Staffordshire Police on 101, quoting incident 538 of November 30, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.