Gwent officers joined forces with Trading Standards, VOSA, TER.(The National Plant and Equipment Register ), Immigration Service, HM customs and excise, Scam busters (level 2 trading standards), The environment Agency, and DWP on Wednesday (21 October) to target rogue traders operating in Gwent.
The one day operation was specifically designed to identify criminals who actively target vulnerable individuals and routinely and deliberately:
- overcharge for unsatisfactory services or goods,
- charge for unnecessary work,
- damage property to obtain money,
- leave work unfinished,
- intimidate in order to extort money.
During the operation 50 people were stopped resulting in:
3 arrests for outstanding warrants
4 environment agency offences
4 trading standards offences
1 vehicle being seized for no insurance
2 people identified for driving offences
Various referrals to the DWP
Leading the Operation Detective Sargent James Hill said:
“This day of action wasn’t a one off and Gwent Police will continue to run operations such as this throughout the Force area to raise public awareness of doorstep crime and send a clear message that rogue trading will not be tolerated and will be dealt with robust enforcement.
We will continue to work alongside other agencies such as Trading Standards to fight this type of criminality and to raise awareness amongst communities in Monmouthshire about how they can best protect themselves against rogue trader offences.”
Detective Hill concluded by saying:
“When a stranger calls at your door, follow the Police Doorstep Code:
- When someone unexpectedly calls at your door, take a look out of the window. If you do not recognise them, don’t open your door to them. If in doubt – keep them out
- Make sure both your front and back doors are locked.
- Ask them to post their details through your door but do not open your door.
- If you don’t know them, ask them to leave.
- If they claim to be from a utility company, ask them to call back when a relative or friend will be there with you.
- If the person refuses to go away, ring Gwent Police immediately on 999 and report it to them. Try to provide a description of the person, vehicle or anything else that seems suspicious.
- Talk to your family and friends about this caller and consider talking to your neighbours about any suspicious activity just in case the same scam is tried on them.
