Bradbury Close, Shire Oak. Many bogus callers can appear very plausible. Warn the elderly and vulnerable to be careful. Image from Apple Maps.

Partnerships officer Kevin Pitt has sent details of a worrying incident in the Shire Oak area last week (Wednesday, 2nd August 2017) when an OAP living in Bradbury Close, just off Pauls Coppice was robbed of £100 by a man claiming to be doing fencing work.

Kevin said:

A burglary has been reported in Shire Oak.

If you saw or heard anything or have any information about the below incident please call our non emergency number 101, quoting the reference number provided.

Alternatively you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimetoppers-uk.org.

Reference: 20WS/166293N/17
Location: Bradbury Close, Walsall Wood.

Date and time: Between 2pm and 2.30pm on Wednesday 2nd August 2017.

Details: The male offender has approached the house and knocked on the door. The victim has opened the door and been told by the offender that he had come to fix the fence and that he needed £100 to complete the work.  The money was handed over and the offender has left.  No work was completed.

The offender is described as a white man, aged around 45 years, around 5′ 10″ tall and of skinny build.  He wore a green baseball cap.

Please be on the look out for suspicious characters, particularly in the vicinity of older persons’ accommodation.  Remind any older or vulnerable people you know not to answer the door to strangers.

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 gardening, 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.

Please,  if you have any further information relating to these incidents, or if you witnessed something  please contact West Midlands Police by dialling 101 (999 in an emergency, obviously) or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.