Britain's 'top 10' doorstep crime suspects revealed

Police photographs and e-fits of England's most wanted alleged doorstep criminals Enlarge Image

The faces of nine men and a woman dubbed Britain's "most wanted" doorstep criminals have been released by police.

Five of them have yet to be identified but detectives say their victims were mainly elderly and vulnerable.

Some of the offenders used violence while in other cases the victim was distracted before items were stolen.

The woman stole jewellery after tricking her victim by dressing in a nurse or carer-style uniform and claiming to have broken down.

The list was compiled by the Operation Liberal specialist police unit which monitors distraction burglaries and was distributed by the Crimestoppers charity.

Derbyshire Police Assistant Chief Constable Peter Goodman said: "Operation Liberal works together with all UK police forces to target and bring to justice those individuals who prey on the vulnerable in society.

"Our message is - if you're not sure who is calling, then don't open the door, check their identity first."

'Hideous individuals'

Lord Ashcroft, from Crimestoppers, said distraction burglars were "hideous individuals" who often took life-long treasured possessions and money from elderly people.

"Some victims suffer a decline in health and even die as a result of the trauma caused by these criminals," he said.

The ten most wanted from left to right in the enlarged Crimestoppers image are Patrick Gilheaney, aged between 20 and 25, who is wanted for burglaries committed between September 2008 and February 2009 in Suffolk, Norfolk, Staffordshire, Bedfordshire and Leicestershire.

Michael Antony O'Driscoll, aged between 30 and 35, is suspected of being one of several men who visited the home of an elderly man pretending to deal with a plumbing problem before stealing money.

James Paul O'Driscoll, aged between 30 and 35, is also known as Mark Dunn and Stephen O'Neill and is a relative of Michael O'Driscoll. He is wanted in connection with the same offence.

Dennis Graham Yull, aged 55 to 60, is from Grimsby and is wanted in connection with a distraction burglary that took place in August 2009.

New gravestone

John Nolan, 22, is from Belfast, and is wanted in connection with a violent burglary at the home of a 72-year-old woman in November 2007 when three men punched the victim before stealing a substantial amount of money.

The first unknown man is wanted for an offence in Anlaby, Hull, when the home of a 92-year-old woman was entered by a man pretending to be from the water board and money was taken.

The second unknown man claimed to be from the police when he entered the home of a woman in Derby but the victim activated an alarm and he fled.

The third unknown man entered the home of his victim in Sandiacre, Derbyshire, and distracted them by turning on taps while a second man went upstairs and took money.

The unknown woman entered the Aldershot home of her victim and stole jewellery after claiming to have broken down.

The last of the ten is also unknown but told his victim there had been a water leak from a building site near her home in Preston Candover, Basingstoke. A second man let out the woman's dog but after she returned with the animal she found the men holding £600.

They told her they had caught burglars in her home and would take the money to police. Detectives said the money was being saved for a new gravestone.

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