Rogue Traders targeted in Dorset

Dorset Police and its partners have been targeting unscrupulous workmen and bogus callers – as part of a national operation called Rogue Trader.

The national day of action against doorstep callers who offer over-priced, low quality work – usually to vulnerable or elderly members of the community – took place yesterday, Wednesday 20 May 2009.

The day of action saw Dorset Police work together with Trading Standards officers from Bournemouth Borough Council, Dorset County Council and the Borough of Poole – as well as representatives from the Department for Work and Pensions, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, the Environment Agency and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) to target suspected rogue traders.

Vehicle intelligence, in the form of Automatic Number Plate Recognition, was used as vehicles were stopped at checkpoints set up on the two main routes into the county, on the A31 and the A35, and at other sites around Dorset.

On the day, six people were arrested. These arrests included two men from Bridport, aged 23 and 35, a 71-year-old man from Gillingham and a 36 year old man from Shaftesbury. All four of these men were arrested for trading standards offences.

Two 27-year-olds – one man and one woman, both from Poole – were arrested for drugs offences.

Advice and information about rogue trading was given to local communities through Safer Neighbourhood Teams during the course of the day, as well as to traders stopped at the vehicle check points.

Detective Superintendent Steve Bartlett said: “Doorstep crime targets some of the most vulnerable members of our communities and we are sending a clear message of our on-going commitment to stamp it out.

“In the past, rogue traders have also used their unscrupulous trade as a means of distraction burglary and Dorset Police and its partners will not tolerate these criminals who target people in their own homes.”

Victims of doorstep crime are often left feeling embarrassed about being conned or fear losing their independence and so are hesitant to contact the police.

Dorset Police is urging anyone who has experienced doorstep crime not to suffer in silence and to contact Crimestoppers anonymously if they do not feel they can talk to the police.

Crimestoppers provides a fully confidential service where crime can be reported without the necessity of leaving a name or contact number and Dorset Crimestoppers can be contacted on 0800 555 111.

Alternatively, consumers who have been the victim of shoddy workmanship or mis-selling should phone Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06 for advice and to report the problem.

Detective Superintendent Bartlett explained: “We want to make Dorset residents feel safer in their homes and operations such as Rogue Trader specifically target bogus doorstep callers.

“We need all the information we can about these crimes – and the people behind them – to be able to act quickly and catch those responsible.”

Information from partner organisations:

Shaun Robson, Head of Environmental and Consumer Protection Services for the Borough of Poole, said: “The Trading Standards Services for Bournemouth and Poole Borough Councils and Dorset County Council are heavily involved in the fight against rogue traders, doorstep conmen and distraction burglars.

“We know that criminals will try to abuse the trust of residents and the good name of established traders across the county of Dorset including the boroughs of Poole and Bournemouth, and we are determined not to let them get a foothold in our area. We work closely together with Dorset Police and have been able to pool intelligence, which has been of particular benefit to this effective and targeted operation.”

An Environmental Crime Team spokesman, at the Environment Agency, said: "If someone is involved in one kind of crime, there's a good chance they're involved in another. We've been working in partnership with Dorset Police for some time to help identify these criminals.

“They may be involved in fly-tipping and transporting metal without a licence. They might be involved in the theft of metals from homes or things like power cables or even phone lines.

“These crimes might be small-scale, but they have a big impact on where people live. Operations like Rogue Trader are a vital tool to help us catch these criminals in the act, and ultimately to bring them to justice."