POLICE believe a criminal is using a tragedy to try to trick his way into Huddersfield homes.

They believe the thief has seen stories about the death of 10-year-old Fartown youngster Dominic Rodgers and uses it as a ploy to try to talk his way into houses.

The man claims to be selling carbon monoxide detectors, but police say he is trying to trick his way into the homes of elderly people to steal their cash and valuables.

Dominic died in bed at his home on Spaines Road from carbon monoxide poisoning in February. He was overcome by fumes from a boiler in a passageway between back-to-back homes beneath his bedroom.

Several emergency warnings about the dangers of carbon monoxide fumes have been made since the tragedy.

Police believe the doorstep trickster has picked up on the warnings.

He sneaked into the home of a 77-year-old woman on Leymoor Road, Golcar, at 7pm last Friday.

When she confronted him in the lounge, he claimed he was selling carbon monoxide testers.

He then left and nothing is thought to have been stolen.

He is white, aged between 40 and 50, 5ft 10ins tall with dark brown, thinning, curly hair and wore an anorak with stripes down the shoulders.

Det Insp Steve Hepplestone, of Huddersfield CID, said: "The last thing we want to do is to put people off buying carbon monoxide detectors and we believe everyone should have them.

"But we would urge people to buy them from shops and DIY stores.

"We believe this man is using the detectors as a ploy to get into people's homes."

Anyone who has been approached by the intruder or knows who he is should contact detectives on 01484 436582.