Shutting out callous conmen

09/06/2008

Also attached – Don Pape’s case study and advice on how to prevent being a victim.
Images – available on request.

North East crime victim, Don Pape, and international football legend, Jack Charlton, are today launching a nationwide awareness campaign to shut out callous conmen.

Don Pape, who is 79 and from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, became a victim of bogus callers in November last year when he had £2,500 stolen by three men pretending to be from the water company.  Don, who has suffered a stroke and had a hip replacement, had been saving the money to pay for his funeral.

Northumbrian Water, along with other water companies, is stepping up efforts to raise awareness of this despicable act as more than half of bogus caller crimes committed are carried out by people pretending to be from a water company or the ‘water board’. 

An average of 1230 bogus caller crimes are committed per year across the North East and it is believed this may only be 10% of the total number of incidents that actually take place as victims are often too embarrassed to come forward.  These are the third highest figures in the UK behind London and the South East. 

Great-great-great-grandfather, Don Pape, who has lived in his home in Fawdon for 55 years, is appealing for people to be vigilant:  “I never thought this would happen to me. I opened the door without thinking to three men who said there had been a water leak and they needed to check my taps.  Usually I am on the ball, but I didn’t ask for identification and just let them in.  I want people to listen to our advice so they don’t have to go through the awful experience that I have had.”

The water industry’s knock knock! who’s there? be stranger aware! campaign, supported by the Secretary of State for Communities, Hazel Blears, the Home Office, the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), Consumer Council for Water (CCWater), Water UK and Age Concern, will be launched today at Scotland Yard and aims to raise awareness to all age groups to help prevent this distressing crime.

The UK water companies, including Northumbrian Water, have come together and agreed to:
• a national cold calling protocol detailing the most appropriate way for water workers to approach vulnerable and elderly customers;
• share best practise and information;
• strengthen partnerships with local police forces and other appropriate agencies, including Age Concern;
• ensure awareness and advice relating to bogus caller crime reaches all age groups from young children to the elderly;
• improve methods in which they communicate advice on how to avoid being a bogus caller victim, including utilising customer letters, literature, websites, talks to appropriate groups and the media;
• adopting a national strap line to brand the campaign – knock knock! who’s there? be stranger aware!

Football legend, Jack Charlton, who is 73 and previously helped launch Northumbrian Water’s own bogus caller campaign, wants to encourage all ages to be vigilant:  “I am supporting this campaign because it is a dreadful crime often with appalling consequences.  These criminals are well organised and play on peoples’ emotions.  Most people have an elderly or vulnerable friend or relative and we urge them to pass our advice on to them.”

Northumbrian Water’s Cara Hall said: “It is a great concern to Northumbrian Water that more than 50 per cent of bogus caller crime is committed by people who pretend to be from a water company.  We ask people to please take notice of our advice.  Letting a stranger into your home can devastate your life in a matter of minutes.
 
“If you are unsure about the identity of a person claiming to be from a water company, don’t let them into your home.  Customers can ring Northumbrian Water on 0845 717 1100 to confirm the caller’s identity and genuine employees will not mind waiting while these checks are carried out.  Our password scheme also gives customers further protection and peace of mind – anyone from Northumbrian Water needing to gain access into a customer’s home will know and use the password.”

Andrea Cook, Northern Chair for the Consumer Council for Water, said:  “People are entirely within their rights to turn a visitor away if they feel uncomfortable, or are not happy with the information presented to them. No water company will insist on entry to your home so if in doubt we would encourage all consumers to be cautious.”

Chief Inspector, Bob Ryan, of Northumbria Police’s Harm Reduction Unit, said:  “We are supportive of any campaign which encourages members of the public to be more vigilant when answering the door to people they don’t know.  Anything suspicious should be reported to the police.  Hopefully by working together we can put a stop to bogus callers preying on vulnerable members of society.”

Detective Chief Inspector Darren Ellis, of Durham Constabulary’s Organised Crime Unit, said:  “Doorstep conmen are cold, calculating criminals who have no conscience.  Their victims are the weak – the elderly and vulnerable and carefully picked as prey.  It is up to everyone to take action against the menace they pose.  We welcome today’s initiative by the water industry and are sure it will go a long way to closing the door on the activities of these thieves.”

A spokesman from Cleveland Police, said: “Any initiative that raises awareness of cold calling is to be applauded. Northumbrian Water is a key partner in our fight against conmen who pose as utility workers or officials, and we will work together to tackle the issue within Cleveland and regionally through Operation Strongbow and Operation Bombay. Anyone with information about conmen or rogue traders should contact CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111.”

Other utility companies are also used as cover for the conmen.  Glen Judge from Northern Gas Networks said:  “Our advice is to thoroughly check the identity of any stranger who comes to your door. It is very rare that we would ever send an engineer to your house without writing to or calling you first.  All our staff carry identity cards.”

ends

For further information please contact Cara Hall on 0191 301 6720.