Nominate a neighbour to help stamp out distraction burglaries

Police in Warwickshire are urging householders to keep the door closed when strangers call unexpectedly.

Police Community Safety Officers, working with Warwickshire County Council, Crimestoppers and other members of the Community Safety Partnership, have developed the brightly coloured notice for householders to hold up at the window when strangers come to call.

The poster gives a clear message that if the householder does not recognise the caller they will not open the door.

The poster also provides a space where the householder can write the name and address of a nominated neighbour, who the caller can contact to give their details to.

The neighbour will then accompany the caller back to the house, or telephone the householder after making checks to ensure they are genuine.

The A4 sized black and yellow posters are available for free from the front counter of Police Stations in the North of the County , and are also included in the burglary information packs which are issued to people who have suffered a burglary.

Detective Sergeant Martyn Stephens of the North Warwickshire Community Safety Team said, "We are relying on friends and neighbours to keep an eye out for their elderly neighbours and relatives. By nominating themselves as the person who callers must visit to give their details to before someone will open the door, we hope that the number of victims of distraction burglaries can be reduced.

"Unfortunately bogus callers use a wide range of scams to gain entry to people's homes. Some people, particularly the elderly, can get confused by all the safety information that is issued. we hope that by directing callers to a nominated address where they will have to give all their details which can then be checked out, will help to make the process more simple. All the elderly person needs to remember is that they should have the notice in their window near the door, and that they should not open the door to anyone they don't recognise or if they are not expecting anyone to call."

"In the past few weeks we have had reports of a number of distraction burglaries and bogus callers across the Northern Area. Each incident means heartbreak and distress to the victim, who may not only lose property or money, but in many cases, as a direct consequence of being a victim of crime, they also lose their confidence, independence and their quality of life."

The A4 sized posters can be collected from Police Station front counters at Bedworth, Nuneaton, Atherstone, Coleshill and Rugby.