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BOGUS CALLERS/DISTRACTION BURGLARSBogus
callers are part of a highly organised, professional criminal
fraternity. They pose as utility workers, trades people, police officers
and sometimes even charity workers. They come in all shapes and sizes:
men, women, working singly or in pairs – sometimes-even children have
been used in the deception. They come in all shapes and sizes, but what
they all share are an ability to convince an older person on the
doorstep that they have a genuine reason to enter the home. Once inside
the home they will use a ruse to distract the older person’s
attention, whilst they or an unseen accomplice search the home for money
and valuables to steal. This type of crime is not petty and can result
in perpetrators netting hundreds of thousands of pounds from their
victims. The below examples represent a wide selection of scams used
both in the UK, Europe & America & are divided into distraction
burglary & rogue trader scams. It should be noted that rogue traders
would take any opportunity to commit a distraction theft should the
opportunity arise. Water
Scams ·
"I'm
from the Water Board & am here to check the pipes" ·
"I
need to check the water/turn the water off (I'm laying pipes up the
road)" ·
"The
water is unfit for drinking. I need to come in & check it” This
is the top scam used in the country despite the fact that the ‘Water
board’ ceased to exist in 1989 and water companies rarely make house
calls. Once inside, the bogus caller asks the victim to go upstairs /
into the kitchen & turn on the taps – thus distracted – the
bogus caller / accomplice then is free to search the home for money /
valuables. Front door invariably left open for accomplice to slip in un
notic Utilities
·
"There
has been a gas leak in the area. I need to come in & check your
supply" ·
"I
have come to read your meter" As with the water scam above, this ruse gives the bogus caller a method to distract attention. This leaves them / an accomplice free to search the home for money / valuables.
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