Cold callers – they are on the increase

Please be aware of cold callers – they are targeting this area

Please warn your neighbours, particularly elderly or vulnerable neighbours, not to open the door to strangers to buy on the doorstep. Some doorstep callers may offer poor quality goods at inflated prices and if a caller is not genuine, they may be gathering information for future crime. Please keep in mind that if cold callers don’t get any sales in your area, they are less likely to return.

The sellers may say that they are on a “rehabilitation course” arranged by probation services or other organisations trying to find people work. This is not the case and often they are known criminals. Probation services do not run such scheme.

Here is an email received from a Prestwood resident.

In case this happens to anyone else in the area, yesterday, a young man, probably late teens, around 5’10”, thick-set, dark hair, wearing a blue jacket and with a red rucksack, banged on my front door and when I opened it, asked “Are you expecting a delivery today?”  He gave no identification and wore no badge.  I replied that I wasn’t and closed the door.   Afterwards, I wondered whether I should have informed anyone about the incident