Rogue Trader operations are run by the Safer Neighbourhood Team on a regular basis. It aims to raise awareness of and deter offences such as distraction burglaries and Rogue Traders.
Rogue traders call at your door and offer to do unnecessary or over-priced work on your home or garden usually without any formal training or qualifications.
Distraction burglary is where criminals pose as officials or ask for your help with something in order to gain access to your home. They often target older or vulnerable people and once they have access to your home their only intention is to steal!
The SNT working with partner agencies have run a number of operations over the past two weeks during which:
- Around 100 commercial vehicles stopped and checked on specific check sites.
- One male was known to one of our trading standards officers from Sheffield and has had previous warnings for hard sales techniques and reports of poor workmanship.
- 6 Fixed Penalty Notices were issued for minor traffic offences such as no seatbelts, illegal number plates and using mobile phones.
- 9 vehicles were seized for no insurance under op takeaway. (See Below)
(PC Bill O’Sullivan with two of the seized vehicles)
- 3 males were cautioned for possession of cannabis offences.
- Around 35 negative breath tests were also conducted during the day of action covering the Summer drink drive campaign.
- High visibility patrols conducted with CID pro-active officers, in partnership with RMBC trading standards and RMBC environmental crime team.
- Further vehicles and persons stopped and checked in the street. (See Below)
(PC Jon Doe making checks on a vehicle and its occupants)
- 2 Males arrested for warrant offences.
- Several referrals made to DWP.
- Awareness leaflets distributed particularly targeting vulnerable locations. (See Below)
(PCSO Des Jenkinson providing information to a member of the public)
These operations will continue to run across the borough to tackle these types of offences. Any one experiencing such an incident or crime should contact the Police on 01142 202020 or alternatively contact Crime Stoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111