In a distraction burglary, a criminal may adopt the guise of a plumber, salesperson, builder or council official.
Distraction burglary, often called "bogus calling", is a crime primarily targeted at vulnerable older people.
Latest figures show that there are 16,000 cases of "distraction burglary" a year in the region.
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.