MENACING conmen defrauded an 89-year-old man out of £1,500 and 'frogmarched' him to a bank to withdraw the cash.

The partially-deaf pensioner, who does not want to be named, was alone in his flat in Albert Road, Harrow when two bogus builders arrived unannounced and convinced him that minor repairs were required at the property.

Detective Constable Wayne Blackwood, of Harrow CID, said: "These two guys have gone to the victim's home and said, 'Look, you need some work to your plug socket'."

The man handed over his PIN and bank card to the suspects, who left and one withdrew £300 from Nationwide in High Street, Wealdstone.

They returned to the house and told the victim he needed further work done, and that he would be fined £2,000 if he failed to do so.

DC Blackwood said: "He wasn't necessarily forthcoming and that's when the suspects became quite aggressive and threatening, at which point they frog-marched him, in his own words, to their van. The words used were: 'If you don't give us the money, we'll get it another way'."

The pair then took him in their van and CCTV footage shows one of the suspects escorting the victim to Lloyds TSB.

The Lloyds Bank cashier later told police the victim seemed nervous, but there was no reason not to give him his money.

Once the victim had taken out the money, he was led by the suspect to the van parked behind McDonald's in Palmerston Road.

The pair drove him up Station Road, then dropped him at the junction of Victor Road and Pinner Road, in Harrow, to return home alone.

The crime happened on August 5, but details have only just been released as part of a police witness appeal.

DC Blackwood said: "The victim's family are upset by the whole situation. He says he was scared and embarrassed, and doesn't want this to happen to anyone else."

The driver of the van was a white man, about 30 years old, with short, dark hair and a pink T-shirt. His accomplice was a white man, about 25, with short fair hair and a widow's peak. He wore a white Tshirt and khaki-coloured trousers.

Their van was a white Vauxhall Astra with twin roof rack and blue writing on the side that may have included the word recovery.

Anyone with information should call Detective Constable Blackwood at Harrow CID on 020 8721 4351 or 07538 857 867, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.