11:30am Monday 8th March 2010
By Phil Hill
POLICE in Avon and Somerset have joined a national awareness campaign to protect elderly and vulnerable people who are often the victims of distraction burglars.
A poster campaign - 'Not Sure…Don't open the door' - aims to warn people about the tactics used by distraction burglars and give vulnerable people the confidence to refuse entry to bogus callers.
A distraction burglary is when one or more offenders trick or distract an occupant in order to gain entry to the house before committing burglary.
A man in the force area who foiled a would-be distraction burglar said: "The chap knocked on my door and said that he was fixing some water pipes down the road and needed to check that mine were okay.
"I knew that my pipes were fine and so I said I didn't want him to come in.
"But he was very persistent and kept saying that I must let him in and that it was essential that he check mine as well.
"I thought that if I was going to let him in then I at least wanted to see some identification, so I asked the man for ID.
"He said that he'd left it in his van but assured me he was a legitimate plumber.
"I still insisted he show me his ID and he left – so say to get it from his van but never came back.
"Clearly he wasn't who he was claiming to be.
"I just think people should take their time and think.
"It's very rare for an official from a company to turn up without some sort of warning or appointment and if they do a genuine caller would always carry ID.
"They also wouldn't mind waiting while you ring the company and check if they are genuine officials.
"It's easy to just trust someone with a friendly face and voice but these people can be very convincing.
"Just because they don't look like criminals it doesn't mean they aren't."
The poster campaign features four elderly models and depicts methods commonly used by distraction burglars.
They are being put up in Post Offices, doctors' surgeries, places of worship, community centres, bingo halls, charity shops, newsagents and hospitals around the Avon and Somerset area.
The aim is to make people aware of the tactics distraction burglars use and how they can prevent themselves from becoming potential victims.
It is also hoped it will raise awareness among family members and neighbours of vulnerable people who can help to protect them.
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