Communities In Mon & Gwynedd Advised To Stay Vigilant

Police in north West Wales are urging householders to remain vigilant after some recent incidents of ‘cold calling’ and suspicious behaviour in Anglesey and Caernarfon recently. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Sergeant Steve Pawson at Llangefni Police Station said “On 21st February 2017 two men purporting to be bone-fide roofing contractors attempted to secure roofing work from an elderly couple in Llanelian, possibly in the after math of the recent bad weather, and quoted an over-inflated estimate. Fortunately the work was declined and the men drove from the area in a red pick-up type vehicle. Enquiries and reassurance patrols were untaken by the local Safer Neighbourhood Team who also handed out crime prevention and cold calling advice and it appears the two men may have called at other houses and villages on the island and we are therefore advising residents to be on their guard.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The same day the male occupant of a white van was also seen ‘touting’ for business in the Llanaelhaearn area of Gwynedd and Police are treating the incidents as suspicious. Investigations are still on-going and if you have any information that may assist, or indeed were visited by a cold caller that day, please contact North Wales Police via the web live chat http://www.north-wales.police.uk/contact/chat-support.aspx. Alternatively phone 101 or via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 RefV025849 (Anglesey) or V024898 (Caernarfon). ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We are all fortunate to live and work in a low crime area so let’s work together to ensure this continues. We need assistance from the local community to help reduce the opportunities in the first place as well as identify who may be responsible and report suspicious activity immediately. Partnership work has been undertaken and will continue in future in a further bid to reduce his kind of doorstep crime, including rogue trader patrols and the implementation of cold calling controlled zones. I want to reassure residents that we will continue with this work in a bid to stop rogue traders targeting members of our communities.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Isle of Anglesey County Council Trading Standards Department advise that householders be wary of any opportunistic rogue traders knocking on their doors offering to do work or make repairs. Always seek a second opinion, preferably from a Trading Standards approved trader www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk. If you feel threatened in any way, you should contact the police immediately as well as reporting the matter to Trading Standards on 08450 669933 http://www.anglesey.gov.uk/advice-and-benefits/trading-standards/. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

North Wales Police are also issuing the following advice to householders in a bid that they can help themselves from falling victim to rogue traders: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

If in doubt – keep them out ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

• Be wary of special offers or warnings about your home, such as: “We were doing a job in the area and we have some materials left over” or “I noticed you’ve got a few loose tiles on your roof”. In short simply do not accept this type of call.
• Don’t ever agree to a trader starting any work straight away. Take time to consult with someone you trust for a second opinion, speak to friends, family or neighbours before making any decision.
• Don’t let a persistent trader intimidate you into making an immediate decision or into buying things you don’t need.
• Don’t hand over a cash deposit
• Don’t keep a large amount of cash in your home and do not agree to go to a bank or building society with the trader
• If someone turns up on your doorstep and tries to intimidate you into having work done or into paying for work which is unsatisfactory or was not requested, the best course of action is to close the door and call the police immediately.
• If in doubt – keep them out.