Police: Be careful of rogue traders

On Wednesday, May 24, between 1pm and 1.45pm a man dressed in navy blue and wearing a high visibility best approached a house in Reeves Avenue, Luton. He spoke to the homeowner and claimed to be with some tradespeople who were fitting windows at a neighbouring property. He told her she needed some work carried out to the roof of her house as he could see some damage, to which she agreed.

He told her he would her £180, but then demanded £280 after inspecting the roof. She disagreed but the offender pressured her for money and she felt obliged to hand over £50 and he left the scene. The workmen at the neighbouring property confirmed that the offender did not work for them and they had not seen him before.

PC Michael Gibbs, investigating, said: “Frankly I’m appalled at the actions of this individual, who told lies to an elderly individual and tried to trick her out of a substantial amount of cash. I would also encourage people to warn elderly friends and relatives about this kind of incident and share our advice with them.”