A THIEF broke into an elderly woman's home, stole jewellery, made her strip, then hung around for four hours smoking drugs.

The man, described by police as around 26, forced his way into the home of an 84-year-old woman in Walthamstow Village in the early hours while she was in bed sleeping.

She woke up to the sound of something smashing, got up and went into the hallway where she saw the man. She screamed and he covered her mouth and told her to be quiet.

She tried to run to the door but he caught her, demanding she hand over her bank cards.

The woman said she did not have any bank cards, so the man forced her to take three rings foff her hands, one with a green stone, one with a black stone, and a Claddagh, the traditional Irish wedding ring.

Scared of what the man would do to her, she handed over the rings and begged him not to take them, but he pocketed them.

They were all gold.

She went back into her bedroom and he followed her and told her to take off the top she had been wearing in bed. The woman had nothing on underneath.

She told police that she was terrified that she would be sexually assaulted but the man did not touch her.

Instead he left her and went downstairs, where he made himself at home in her living room for four more hours, smoking cannabis.

Police are looking for a light skinned black man, 5ft 8ins, who was wearing a black shirt and a grey hooded top. He was clean shaven and spoke with a soft London accent.

If you saw anybody matching this description in the village just before 2.30am on Wednesday, November 16, or just after 6.30am, contact the officer in charge, Tony Ginn, at Chingford police on 8556 8855 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.