Crowbar thugs rob man of 74

The 74-year-old was pushed backwards onto his settee and restrained with a crowbar across his chest while the thugs searched his property and stole cash.

The three raiders got in through an unlocked back door and told the old man they had a warrant to search for drugs at his house in Stanhope Road, Wheatley, Doncaster.

But when he said he was going to ring the police the thugs got physical.

Detectives today appealed for the public's help in tracking down the violent gang.

Det Insp Paul Colclough, of Doncaster CID, said: "We take incidents of people pretending to be police officers very seriously.

"I want to reassure the public my team are working hard to catch the persons responsible for targeting vulnerable people in Doncaster."

The attack is the latest in a series of violent incidents involving Doncaster pensioners being attacked by burglars posing as officials.

A 91-year-old widow was injured when she stood up to men who got into her home in St Eric's Road, Bessacarr.

Another woman, also 91, was hurt when a gang used an iron bar to break into to her house in Park Drive, Sprotbrough.

And since the beginning of July there has been a surge in distraction burglaries, with about 30 reported to police. Officers are certain there will be others which have gone unreported.

The thugs in Wheatley were white men in their late teens to early 20s. One was fair-haired and spoke with a Doncaster accent.

A white Ford Transit van was seen in the area before the incident, at about 1.20pm on Thursday August 16.

Anyone with information should call Det Sgt Rich Partridge on 01302 385 139.