A FRAIL 103-year-old woman has become the latest victim of an alarming crime trend in which crooks prey upon the elderly and vulnerable.

Two thieves were last night branded as "without remorse" for stealing £100 from the pensioner's purse after offering to clean the windows of her Darlington home.

The centenarian is the latest in a string of elderly victims who have fallen victim to so-called distraction burglaries.

The unnamed woman - who was born in 1898 and lives in the east of the town -has been left badly shaken.

Describing the thieves, Detective Sergeant Alec Francis, of Darlington police, said: "Cowardly is certainly the word to be used - even inhumane, to be truthful. They are without remorse."

Detectives have again renewed warnings to householders not to let anyone in without proof of identity, and if in doubt to contact the police.

On Sunday, an 85-year-old woman had her handbag containing cash and bank cards stolen by a man who called at her home in Westcliffe Court, Darlington, asking for a contact number for a neighbour.

And last month, three men claiming to be water board officials were believed to be responsible for seven burglaries in Bishopton, near Stockton, and addresses in Sussex Way, Darlington. All the victims were aged between 70 and 82.

In the year to March 2001, there were almost 600 incidents reported to police in County Durham, Cleveland and Northumbria.

Police said that typically intruders conned their way into homes while an accomplice stole valuables. The average age of victims was 81, and 80 per cent of them were women. Almost all lived alone.

Andrew Buckingham, spokesman for Victim Support, said: "It's betrayal of trust.

"These people open their doors, they accept, on face value, what people are telling them and find they are robbed of valuable possessions or possessions with great sentimental value."

Norman Brennan, of the Victims of Crime Trust, said: "This is one of the most appalling crimes that can be committed against an elderly victim.

"But the sad reality is the criminal justice system can't offer much hope to this victim, even if the suspects are arrested.

"Rather than hear of the awful stress that this woman is going through, the magistrates will be more interested in what problems these two offenders have had in their lives.

"The sentence, should they be convicted, will probably be insulting."

He added: "I absolutely despair at how victims of crime are let down by our criminal justice system. The sad reality is, despite the promises, which always come to nothing, I don't see it getting any better."

A spokesman for the Home Office Distraction Burglary Task Force, set up last year, said: "Distraction burglary is a particularly nasty crime, since victims are usually the most vulnerable people in our society and, more often than not, they are older people living alone.

"The effects of this crime can be far-reaching on victims, and often the experience has a damaging impact on their quality of life."

Anyone who is the victim of crime can contact their local branch of Victim Support, or the charity's helpline on 0845 3030900.

If you have any information about the burglary on the 103-year-old woman, which happened between 3.30pm and 4pm last Thursday, contact Darlington Police on (01325) 467681 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

The thieves are thought to be in their late teens or early twenties.