There were more than 400,000 "distraction burglaries" last year, where bogus callers posing as gasmen or salesmen tricked their way into people's homes.
Latest figures show that there are 16,000 cases of "distraction burglary" a year in the region.
Distraction burglary, often called "bogus calling", is a crime primarily targeted at vulnerable older people.
In a distraction burglary, a criminal may adopt the guise of a plumber, salesperson, builder or council official.
