AN0155 08042016 Rogue Traders message
Inspector Bennett and Ben Hayes from Trading Standards need your help;
The Police and Trading Standards work together to protect residents of North Somerset from being targeted by Rogue Traders. There are several ways you can help them to do this;
- Please report any leaflets/flyers you get through the door advertising for local services
- Let us know if there are any cold callers to your area by persons touting for work like gardening/House repair/drive way work
- If you have neighbours who are having work done, and you are worried about them let us know – we can make discreet enquiries to make sure they are okay
- If you co-ordinate a scheme that would like some window stickers or door stickers which promote our campaign contact the Trading Standards department at the council offices
- Any fly tipping or other suspicious sighting or information please also tell us
This information needs to be emailed to Insp Bennett or Ben Hayes who for one week from Monday 11 April will be personally monitoring this information:
- Ben.Hayes@n-somerset.gov.uk
- Sharon.Bennett@avonandsomerset.pnn.police.uk
OR To contact by telephone:
- Inspector Sharon Bennett - via general police 101 number
- Ben Hayes, Trading Standards office 01934 888 888 during office hours
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GENERAL - Rogue traders are criminals who take advantage of people by using high-pressure sales techniques. Their work is often overpriced, poor quality or not required at all. A distraction burglar is someone who tricks their way into your home and then distracts you while they steal your valuables or cash. If you do not know who is calling at your home and you didn't invite them there, remember - it's your doorstep and your decision, so be confident, and turn them away.
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Comments (3)
We are concerned that there is a ‘rogue trader’ in the Bleadon Hill/Bleadon area today. Blue transit van, think the registration is T20 DEE. He called on our very elderly neighbours late morning today and was very persistent in asking for old coins, militaria, old books etc. He even ignored our neighbour’s request to leave as he was still in pyjamas and wanted to get dressed, walking straight past him into his garage and offering him cash for various items. My husband heard all this from our garden and confronted the man, asking to see the ID tag that he was wearing on a lanyard around his neck. The trader pulled it away from him so that he couldn’t see it. My husband also pointed out that we have Neighbourhood Watch signs and don’t deal with traders. The man said he wasn’t a trader as he was just buying stuff. Eventually he left after pressure from my husband to do so, but it was clear he saw our neighbours as ‘easy prey’.
Altogether a very unpleasant experience for our neighbours. Perhaps you could alert others to this?
Also, I saw a white tipper truck crawling along Shiplate Road on Saturday morning and stopping every so often – it did look suspiciously like the type of vehicle favoured by travellers. When I arrived home yesterday to my house, my aluminium house sign at the bottom of my drive had been stolen. Coincidence? I will report this as a crime.