A BURGLAR broke into an elderly woman’s house while she was home alone and sat behind her as she watched TV.

The 83-year-old heard a noise outside her front door in Panadown, Laindon, at 11.30pm on Friday, March 14.

She did not suspect anything was wrong and carried on watching TV About 15 minutes later, she realised there was a man on the pouffe behind her armchair.

The terrified woman managed to ask if he was okay.

The burglar then took £3 off the coffee table and removed her house keys from the front door.

He then walked over to the woman, put his hand on her shoulder and looked at her, before leaving by the front door.

The victim was left shaken, but unhurt. The man is in his twenties with a chubby face, 5ft 5ins to 5ft 6ins tall with short, brown hair.

He wore a baseball cap, blue denim jeans and a blue denim jacket.

The house keys were worth about £200.

Anyone with information is urged to contact detectives at Basildon police station on 101.