Warn your elderly and vulnerable friends and neighbours about bogus callers. Library image from NEN.

A headsup, folks – seeing a lot of reports of distraction theft and bogus callers operating in the area, particularly Aldridge in the last 48 hours (25th January 2017) – elderly folk have been prey to a man in a white van who’s pressing victims to pay for non-existent fencing jobs.

A typical report posted of Facebook yesterday said:

Please be vigilant an elderly gentlemen was targeted this morning by a man in a white van saying there are fence problems and he can get it fixed for a decent sum of money.

The gentleman was not harmed just very frightened so please warn elderly neighbours family friends etc. and if not already been done make sure all elderly family members have chains on their doors.

Similarly…

My 90 year old mom had a man call this morning in a white van, saying he was doing fencing, silly girl never asked for ID and he didn’t offer any, he never went outside to look at her fencing, he blagged his way in as she was not long up and got very flustered, he looked down the garden and said one of her posts was rotten. Then he left, we are not sure whether to contact the police or not, surely if he was ligit he would have left a card?

Also…

They conned a man who lives opposite me of £500 this morning.They said his fence needed doing,followed him upstairs and took the money and scarpered,police are involved.

Please tell your relatives and neighbours about these ratbags, and impress upon them how important it is not to buy from, or accept services at the door, no matter how plausible the people offering them. Genuine companies will always contact you by other means.

Explain that no official body will turn up unannounced demanding money for services like  fencing repairs, drain cleaning, tree pruning etc., and that if they are at all unsure of any caller, to close the door and contact the police.

Scumbags engaged in the robbing of OAPs are lower than a snake’s knees, and I hope the police continue to crack down on this cowardly, nasty crime.

Please,  if you have any further information relating to this, or any other incident, or if you witnessed something  please contact Walsall Police by dialling 101 (999 in an emergency, obviously) or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111

Tell your elderly relatives and friends to be careful; local police can advise on door chains and other security measures. Most of all, don’t buy at the door! Image from Cambridge Police.