POLICE have warned people to be on their guard against conmen masquerading as police officers in Horsforth.

This comes after an elderly woman was conned out of her pension money.

And in a separate incident, another thief claiming to be a policeman took a new Vauxhall Astra car from the forecourt of Dixons in Low Lane, Horsforth just a few days earlier.

The woman answered her door to be confronted by a man claiming to be a police officer investigating problems with forged bank notes in the area.

He presented a fake identity card, which the old woman did not check, and was let into the house where she gave him £135 of her pension money.

The bogus policeman put on what looked like a pair of blue surgeon's gloves and pretended to examine the money. He then made an excuse to go outside into Drury Lane and then made off with the money.

Detective Inspector Steve O'Callaghan said: "This man has taken advantage of a vulnerable old woman. It is a disgusting crime.

"If someone says that they are a police officer, check it through before you let them into your house.

"All officers carry an identification card and people need to make sure that the details are correct. It will have a security sealed photo of the officer in question, his signature and that of the Chief Constable, as well as the West Yorkshire Police logo and a bar code.

"If in doubt, phone Weetwood Police to check identity."

The bogus policeman is a white male, aged 20-30, 5ft 7in to 5ft 9in tall, and spoke with a local accent,

The incident happened at 12.15pm on January 4.

Meanwhile, a man was walking on the Dixons forecourt speaking on a mobile phone when a sales assistant approached him. He told the assistant that he was a police officer and that he was interested in buying a car. The assistant took him for a test-drive in a silver Vectra car.

When back on the forecourt, the suspect said that he wanted to drive a red R-registered Vauxhall Astra. He then got into the Astra and after some confusion drove off in it, with trade plates on and a Dixons 'for sale' sign still on the roof.

The car was stolen at 6.45pm on January 2.