Beware the knock at the door (From Chard & Ilminster News)

Beware the knock at the door

9:43am Saturday 18th August 2007 in News By Matthew Colledge

POLICE fear rogue traders are fleecing thousands of pounds from vulnerable people in villages near Chard.

Officers are investigating several incidents in the Combe St Nicholas and Buckland St Mary areas and have urged householders to be on guard.

The warning comes in the week Chard police were praised for their swift action in arresting three alleged bogus traders after an incident near Combe St Nicholas.

John Phillips and his daughter Bridie, who live at Beetham Cross, contacted police on Thursday afternoon after cold callers offered them cheap gravel for their drive.

John and Bridie said the men claimed they were Highways Agency workers who had surplus gravel from a job nearby.

But Bridie was not convinced of their identification and after contacting the Highways Agency and police, officers attended and arrested three men on site, who have since been bailed.

John said: "The police arrived very swiftly. Had they been another five minutes, they might have gone."

Police are keen to hear from anybody who has been offered work on their drives in the past fortnight, particularly from the Combe St Nicholas area.

Police also warn there are often strong links between rogue traders and distraction burglars, who pose as uniformed officials to trick their way into the homes of elderly, vulnerable people, while an accomplice searches for cash or valuables.

Supt Sandy Padgett said: "This is such a cowardly crime, taking advantage of some of the most vulnerable people in our neighbourhoods, and officers and police staff are determined to tackle it.

"The key message is 'if in doubt, keep them out'."

Anybody with information about rogue traders or distraction burglaries should call police on 0845-4567000 or 999 if an emergency.