POLICE are hunting a conniving thief who appears to have a way with animals.

A teenager carrying a young squirrel in his hands tricked his way into a pensioner's home on the pretext he needed to telephone the RSPCA.

He left, leaving his victim with the squirrel but without her purse, which contained £240.

Detective Sergeant Chris Steph-ens, of Hartlepool Police, said: "This is another bogus-type crime, but one which is distinctive and unusual with regard to the use of a live squirrel.

"Someone must know who this male is and police are anxious to trace him. Once again the victim is an elderly, vulnerable member of society."

The youth, squirrel in hand, had flagged down the pensioner as she drove home along a private lane in the West Park area of Hartlepool.

He convinced the 78-year-old that the young rodent had been stunned after hitting its head on a window at her house.

Detectives say the youth then embarked on a 20-minute charade, encouraging his victim to look round her garden with him for the squirrel's parent. He even got the old woman to find a box to put the creature in.

Reluctantly letting him in, he asked for a glass of water. While she was out of the room, the teenager stole the purse and made his way out, telling her he planned to look for the older squirrel.

The incident happened about 5.15pm on Saturday. The thief is white, in his late teens and about 5ft 11in tall. He was wearing washed out Chino-style trousers which were clean but for a distinctive brown mark on the seat. He wore a grey woollen hat which had a dark stripe. He also wore a green anorak type coat.

Police want to hear from anyone who knows a youth who handles squirrels or saw him with the animal on a pubic footpath between Rift House and West Park.