A BURGLAR stole an 88-year-old woman's life savings at a Blackwood pensioners' complex.

Last Thursday at around 4pm a man entered the woman's flat in the Maesteg Complex, Pentwyn Mawr, while she was visiting a friend next door, and stole her life savings - amounting to almost £1,000.

Detectives are now appealing for anyone with information to come forward and help them track down the thief, who is described as being in his late teens or early twenties.

Detective Constable Shaun Ballinger, from Blackwood CID, said the burglary "left the lady feeling very distraught and traumatised".

He said the burglar entered the complex of self-contained sheltered accommodation flats and made several attempts to get into a number of flats by checking for insecure doors and windows.

He then saw that the woman had left her door slightly ajar while she had gone to visit her friend.

DC Ballinger said the burglar was "preying on the weakest and most vulnerable people in society".

He said: "I think it was an opportunist crime probably carried out by somebody who is local."

Anyone with information should contact Blackwood CID on 01495 223673.