|
Whatever
the situation, he seems to be in a rush and there is often an emergency element - a flood,
a gas leak or whatever. He needs to
inspect your water system/heating/telephone. You
let him in, and he rushes to the bedroom, or he turns on a stopcock in the kitchen. There is confusion, and you are only half aware of
a second person going into another room.
 Then
suddenly they are gone.
You find that the drawers in the
bedroom are open, a handbag or wallet or jewellery is missing. Or a drawer in the
hall or in the sitting room is open, and money has been taken (many people leave a
wallet or money in the top drawer in the hall
or sitting room, often near the door).
The police have a name for this kind of crime - Distraction Burglary, or
sometimes Burglary Artifice. But the
instantly recognisable term is Bogus Callers. Anyone is vulnerable. Au pairs and cleaners, young mothers with small
children. But elderly people are the most
often targeted.
Offenders use to their advantage the fact that elderly people generally have more
regularity in their daily activities, are less likely to resist entry to offenders and
certainly don't have the strength to flee or fight an intruder. They also perceive older
people as having wealth and keeping valuables and cash on their premises.
It's easy to
fall victim to a bogus caller. Their disguise as utility
workers, trades people or even police officers, enables them to trick their way into the
homes and the pockets of the public. They are usually very effective and develop organised
plans to carry out the offence, often repeatedly victimising a person until all valuables
have been taken.
 Figures from the Home Office Distraction Burglary Task Office report
suggests the extent of the problem is higher than police figures would suggest. It is
estimated the figure is around 100,000 victims per annum - that's 4 to 5 times higher than
the number of crimes recorded. In the light of this, both the Government and the Police
force are making a concerted effort to slash these statistics and improve the quality of
life of vulnerable communities.
Help the Aged and British Gas have also set out to tackle distraction burglary by joining
forces and creating the SeniorSafety Campaign. This aims to highlight the issue of bogus
caller crime against older people. To find out more and to gain advice on how to avoid
becoming a victim of crime, visit http://www.helptheaged.org.uk
Ways to
foil bogus callers
· If you don’t have a safety chain on the door, contact your local Crime
Prevention Officer (through the local police station)
· Never answer the door to strangers without fixing the safety chain first
· Don’t forget to tell this instruction to any cleaner or house guest
· Ask for identification before removing the chain and examine the certificate
carefully
· If in doubt tell the caller to wait while you telephone the organisation they
claim to represent
· When any utility needs to visit - to read the meter for instance - ideally
ask them to ring and make an appointment first. Essential
for the elderly living alone
· If the request is for water or use of ‘phone because ‘my friend is
ill’ say sorry and suggest they go to the nearest police station or public library
· Remember that bogus callers may look and sound very respectable. Or they may look highly distressed and vulnerable
- don’t take chances
· Don’t keep valuables in that top drawer in the hall or living room
To view previous articles - see the laterlife-interest index page |
