POLICE are hunting a man who used children as part of his bid to steal from two people’s homes.

They want to find the man, who they believe to be local, after the incidents in Erith on September 13.

Aged between 38 and 40, the man had two children with him, a girl aged about eight and a boy thought to be aged about 10.

The first incident happened in Brook Street at around 6.30pm, when an elderly woman and her granddaughter became aware of someone else in the house.

They found a little girl in the hallway and a man coming down the stairs.

After speaking to the women, the two left the house.

Nothing appeared to be missing.

A short time later, police were called to Park Crescent, where a woman opened the door to a man and a boy.

When she went to get pen and paper, the man entered the house and the woman found him in her bedroom going through her things.

He left as she called the police. She later found a purse containing about £30 was missing.

The man has brown hair, an unkempt appearance and a heavy build.

Police believe he frequents the Barnehurst area.

The girl is plump with dark hair scraped into a ponytail and the boy is slim with dark hair and has a gap between his front teeth.

Anyone with information can call the Bexley police burglary squad on 020 8284 9296 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.