SAN DIEGO -- Authorities warned the public Wednesday to beware of a group of burglars who have been conning their way into local senior citizens' homes.

On at least six occasions, the bandits have gained entry to a house in Clairemont, La Jolla, Linda Vista or Point Loma through ruses, such as asking for a glass of water or posing as landscapers, San Diego police reported.

While one of the crooks distracts a victim, another sneaks through the home and steals jewelry and other valuables, usually stashing them in a pillowcase or bedsheet, SDPD public information officer Monica Munoz said.

They also have knocked on front doors and claimed to have broken a water pipe on the victim's property while working in the area, according to investigators.

"They ask the resident to come into the back yard to survey the damage," Munoz said. "When the resident is distracted by the first (perpetrator), another goes inside and steals items from the home."

The burglars -- described as white or Hispanic men in their 20s or 30s who get around in a van or primer-gray SUV -- appear to be "targeting the elderly and may be staking out houses," Munoz said.