Jewellery and thousands of pounds worth of cash have been stolen from residents in Hertfordshire who contacted a bogus gardening service company called Benson’s Tree Services or Lambert’s Tree Services.

The four victims, mostly elderly, each called the fake company following a recent leaflet drop across the district.

A group of men turned up at the addresses and asked the occupants not to go into their homes whilst other men distracted the victims with the pretense of doing some odd jobs and gardening work.

Detective Constable Phil Terry from Operation Manhunt said: “A large group of people are involved in this deception, often targeting elderly or vulnerable members of our community.  We want to make people aware not to call Benson’s Tree Services or Lambert’s Tree Services.  There may also be other leaflets, in a similar style to the version the victims received, featuring different bogus company names.

“We are trying to trace the men responsible and would also like help identifying a man and woman in connection with a theft from a cash machine at Barclay’s in Borehamwood at 11.50am on April 24. They may be able to help us with our enquiries.”

She added: “If you recognise anyone in the images or have been offered cheap jewellery for sale, we would like to hear from you.”

The offences took place at the following dates and times:

• On Tuesday April 25, five or six men visited an address in Park Road in Bushey at around 12.30pm.  Whilst the female occupant was speaking to the men in the garden, a safe containing cash was stolen.  The men were then seen getting into a small, blue car, travelling towards Watford.

They are described as white men and one is described as stocky.  They were wearing black trousers and green jumpers.

Between 11am and 11.30am on Monday (April 24), two men were joined by three further men, at an address in Cromwell Road after the victim called Benson’s Trees.  The men agreed to sell the resident a garden shed for £300 and asked the victim to leave her PIN number with them whilst the other offenders destroyed her existing shed.  One of the men went in to the house and stole jewellery and cash.

Between 10.30am and 11am on April 24, jewellery and a substantial amount of cash was stolen from an address in Stanley Gardens in Borehamwood.

The offenders were described as white men.  One was aged between 30 and 35 with fair cropped hair and rosy cheeks and he was wearing a green jumper which said ‘tree’ on it. A second man is described as being aged between 35 and 40, of broad build, wearing a matching green jumper, also with the word ‘tree’ on it.

Between 1.30pm and 3pm on April 22, offenders stole a debit card and jewellery from an address in Richfield Road in Bushey.

The four offenders were described as white men – one had ginger hair and was aged between 30 and 39 and the other was described as Irish, aged 20 to 39.

Hertsmere Neighbourhood Inspector Pete Edwards added: “Please keep an eye on your elderly relatives and neighbours, especially if they are planning  doing some gardening work.” 

The four offences are also being linked to a distraction burglary that happened in Bishop’s Stortford on March 29, 2017.