0:00:02 > 0:00:04One area of crime has been getting worse.
0:00:04 > 0:00:07Too often it has a devastating effect on its victims.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09I'm talking about doorstep crime.
0:00:09 > 0:00:13We're celebrating the work of police and Trading Standards teams
0:00:13 > 0:00:17from all over the UK, as they turn the tables on these law-breakers.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20What's more, you've been sharing your success stories
0:00:20 > 0:00:23and ideas for how to bring these crooks to justice!
0:00:24 > 0:00:28On today's programme, the half-a-million pound rip-off
0:00:28 > 0:00:31that hit victims across the West Midlands
0:00:31 > 0:00:34This lady and her husband lost 35 grand alone!
0:00:34 > 0:00:38It was very hard not to believe him at the time,
0:00:38 > 0:00:43but that he could lie like that was just horrific.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46Plus, the Neighbourhood Watch team fighting back against doorstep crime
0:00:46 > 0:00:48in their Derbyshire village.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51It makes me feel safer.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54You're not worried there's somebody creeping around outside.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57Best of all, I meet the heroic staff of two London banks
0:00:57 > 0:00:59who went out of their way to save two victims
0:00:59 > 0:01:02from paying out thousands of pounds to doorstep rogues!
0:01:02 > 0:01:05The last thing I wanted was him going home,
0:01:05 > 0:01:08and these guys still being there, without having any money.
0:01:08 > 0:01:10You don't know what would happen.
0:01:16 > 0:01:18Hello, and enormous thanks for all your emails!
0:01:18 > 0:01:20As you know, we love hearing from you.
0:01:20 > 0:01:24Now, Gill Wilmot from Nottingham says most reputable companies
0:01:24 > 0:01:27don't usually carry out doorstep selling,
0:01:27 > 0:01:31so her slogan is "If it's doorstep, don't!"
0:01:31 > 0:01:34Now, that sort of advice would have been of great benefit
0:01:34 > 0:01:38to a woman in Derbyshire who recently spent £1,200 on a chair
0:01:38 > 0:01:40from a door-to-door salesman.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43Then the chair never showed up.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46It's one of the cases dealt with by Derek Weston,
0:01:46 > 0:01:48a local Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50He's written in inviting us
0:01:50 > 0:01:52to find out how he tries to protect his neighbours.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58This area of Derbyshire has been repeatedly targeted
0:01:58 > 0:02:00by doorstep conmen,
0:02:00 > 0:02:03including the recent tragic case of an elderly local man
0:02:03 > 0:02:07who died from shock after falling victim to a distraction burglary.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11Although still reeling from the front-page headlines,
0:02:11 > 0:02:13residents are now fighting back
0:02:13 > 0:02:16thanks to Derek Weston of Doe Lea Neighbourhood Watch.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19Neighbourhood Watch is set up nationally to reduce crime
0:02:19 > 0:02:21and anti-social behaviour.
0:02:21 > 0:02:2476% of the residents of the village
0:02:24 > 0:02:26are now signed up to Neighbourhood Watch,
0:02:26 > 0:02:28which means they have a sticker in the window.
0:02:28 > 0:02:33It's obvious when you arrive that we are a Neighbourhood Watch area.
0:02:33 > 0:02:35That in itself is a deterrent for crime.
0:02:35 > 0:02:37Today, Derek is on his rounds
0:02:37 > 0:02:40advising consumers about home security
0:02:40 > 0:02:43and the threat posed by doorstep rip-off merchants.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46Sadly, in December 2010, one of these rogue traders
0:02:46 > 0:02:48targeted another elderly resident
0:02:48 > 0:02:51and whilst she didn't want to be interviewed,
0:02:51 > 0:02:55she's happy for Derek to tell her story as a warning.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57This is the home of the elderly lady
0:02:57 > 0:03:00that was a victim of doorstep crime in Doe Lea.
0:03:00 > 0:03:04A salesman arrived unannounced, a cold caller
0:03:04 > 0:03:07purporting to be selling special furniture for the elderly,
0:03:07 > 0:03:09in her case, an elevator seat.
0:03:09 > 0:03:13She said, "I knew I shouldn't have done it, but I paid him up front."
0:03:13 > 0:03:16As I mentioned earlier, she paid £1,200,
0:03:16 > 0:03:18but, the chair never showed up.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20This lady didn't report it soon enough
0:03:20 > 0:03:23and by the time she did report it, it was too late.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25And the perpetrators are still at large.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28So the message is, if it does happen,
0:03:28 > 0:03:31report it as quickly as possible.
0:03:31 > 0:03:35Either to the police or to Trading Standards
0:03:35 > 0:03:37or to ourselves at Neighbourhood Watch.
0:03:37 > 0:03:39Well, of course, cases like these have upset
0:03:39 > 0:03:42and worried the community, so Derek's working hard
0:03:42 > 0:03:44to ensure everybody can feel safe in their homes.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47Happily, National Lottery funding
0:03:47 > 0:03:51is available to Neighbourhood Watch groups right across the country,
0:03:51 > 0:03:53and amongst many projects,
0:03:53 > 0:03:55it has been used in Doe Lea, to fund home security.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57Janet Andrews is housebound
0:03:57 > 0:04:00and had security lights fitted a few weeks ago.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02Derek is popping in to see how she's getting on.
0:04:02 > 0:04:06- So you're happy enough with them? - I'm very happy with them.- Good.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08It makes me feel safer.
0:04:08 > 0:04:12You're not worried that there's somebody creeping around outside.
0:04:12 > 0:04:17'I felt quite vulnerable living here because of the back of our bungalow
0:04:17 > 0:04:21'going on to the fields and the river and everything.'
0:04:21 > 0:04:25Since we've had the lights fitted, we don't worry now.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28There you go, it's great to know that something as simple
0:04:28 > 0:04:31as extra lighting can help Janet feel safer
0:04:31 > 0:04:33and ultimately improve her quality of life.
0:04:33 > 0:04:35- All right, then.- Thanks, Derek.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38- Keep twitching the curtain! - Oh, I do, don't worry about that!
0:04:42 > 0:04:45We'll check in again with Derek a little later on in the programme.
0:04:45 > 0:04:49Now, here's another case of doorstep crime.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53Hello, my name is Tania, and a couple of years ago,
0:04:53 > 0:04:55I invited a builder in to do an extension for us
0:04:55 > 0:04:57that went from bad to worse.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59It ended up to be a total nightmare
0:04:59 > 0:05:02and I would like to share my story with your viewers.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05We'll discover the full story just a little later,
0:05:05 > 0:05:08but first, a really heart-warming tale from southwest London.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11As you know, doorstep rogues are out there, for sure,
0:05:11 > 0:05:14but thankfully there are also plenty of quick-thinking
0:05:14 > 0:05:18and community-spirited people who are taking a stand against them,
0:05:18 > 0:05:20as I found out for myself!
0:05:20 > 0:05:23This story concerns two pensioners from the Wimbledon area,
0:05:23 > 0:05:25who were targeted in separate incidents
0:05:25 > 0:05:28by cold-calling rogue traders.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31Neither wished to be interviewed, but they're both happy for us
0:05:31 > 0:05:34to tell their story as a warning to others.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37A weekday afternoon in late 2011
0:05:37 > 0:05:40and staff at this branch of a well-known high street bank
0:05:40 > 0:05:43were going about their business as usual.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47But things changed when an elderly customer came through the door.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51I've come to see manager David Nash to hear about what happened.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53David, perhaps you could describe the scenario,
0:05:53 > 0:05:55the day this gentleman came into the bank?
0:05:55 > 0:05:56Yes, certainly.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59He came up to one of my cashiers, he's a regular customer,
0:05:59 > 0:06:02he would normally come in and withdraw a few hundred,
0:06:02 > 0:06:05yet this day he wanted to withdraw a few thousand.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08I suddenly thought, "There's something not right here."
0:06:08 > 0:06:12The customer said that some men had knocked on his door that morning,
0:06:12 > 0:06:15claiming that his chimney was in danger of collapse
0:06:15 > 0:06:17and needed urgent repairs,
0:06:17 > 0:06:20but they were able to fix it for him straight away.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24And, by the way, they demanded a whopping £4,000 up front,
0:06:24 > 0:06:29which they insisted the poor man transfer from his account to theirs.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32When he said that, I knew that it was scam
0:06:32 > 0:06:35and these people were trying to get money for doing nothing.
0:06:35 > 0:06:38- And did you say that to him? - I did, I told him.
0:06:38 > 0:06:39How did he react?
0:06:39 > 0:06:43He was quite pleased that I wasn't going to let him have the money.
0:06:44 > 0:06:49I bet he was! But with the rogue traders waiting for the elderly man to return home,
0:06:49 > 0:06:53it was clear that something had to be done, and quickly!
0:06:54 > 0:06:56David immediately called Trading Standards,
0:06:56 > 0:06:58who raced to the house with the police,
0:06:58 > 0:07:00hoping to catch the rogues red-handed.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03What happened to the man in the meantime?
0:07:03 > 0:07:07I made sure he stayed in the bank. The last thing I wanted was him leaving, going back to his house,
0:07:07 > 0:07:10and these guys still being there, without money,
0:07:10 > 0:07:12because you don't know what would happen.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14So I was very concerned for this gentleman
0:07:14 > 0:07:17and I kept him in the branch while this was going on.
0:07:17 > 0:07:21Unfortunately, when police and Trading Standards arrived,
0:07:21 > 0:07:24the doorstepping con artists had disappeared into thin air!
0:07:25 > 0:07:28I think basically what normally happens
0:07:28 > 0:07:31is that if someone hasn't come back with the money,
0:07:31 > 0:07:34these people scarper because they know something's happened
0:07:34 > 0:07:36and somebody's caught on to them.
0:07:36 > 0:07:40So, thanks to the quick thinking and kindness of David and his staff,
0:07:40 > 0:07:45the customer was safe and, happily, so too was his £4,000!
0:07:45 > 0:07:48Whilst it's great to see institutions like banks
0:07:48 > 0:07:50working hard to protect consumers,
0:07:50 > 0:07:54sadly, this was not to be an isolated case.
0:07:54 > 0:07:55In December 2011,
0:07:55 > 0:07:58Carmel Mullen was working at a different High Street bank
0:07:58 > 0:08:02less than two miles away when an elderly customer came in,
0:08:02 > 0:08:05asking to transfer a whopping £10,000.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09Understandably, Carmel was curious.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11She seemed quite happy to do the transaction
0:08:11 > 0:08:16and during the course of the transaction I was chatting to her
0:08:16 > 0:08:18and she told me it was for roofing.
0:08:18 > 0:08:20Like our other Wimbledon victim,
0:08:20 > 0:08:23this woman had also been doorstepped by a rogue builder,
0:08:23 > 0:08:27only this time, she'd been conned into believing
0:08:27 > 0:08:30that her roof needed a special waterproof coating.
0:08:30 > 0:08:34He then demanded an incredible £10,000 to do the job.
0:08:34 > 0:08:35Shocking!
0:08:35 > 0:08:39And, you guessed it, he insisted she transfer the money immediately.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43She didn't seem that concerned it was such a large amount of money
0:08:43 > 0:08:47and from what it seemed to entail, it didn't seem to ring true,
0:08:47 > 0:08:49so I wanted to run my suspicions by a colleague
0:08:49 > 0:08:52and also just check with my husband, who is a builder,
0:08:52 > 0:08:55just to see if that amount seemed reasonable,
0:08:55 > 0:08:57which I personally didn't think it did.
0:08:57 > 0:09:03Good for Carmel! It seemed her decision to query the story with an expert was absolutely right!
0:09:03 > 0:09:07So when I spoke to my husband, he just said that there's no way
0:09:07 > 0:09:11it should cost that amount of money unless she was living in a warehouse.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15That's great, thanks, see you later. Bye bye.
0:09:15 > 0:09:17Thanks to her hubby's top tip-off,
0:09:17 > 0:09:19Carmel had a quiet word with the customer.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22We suggested that we didn't want to make the transfer
0:09:22 > 0:09:25and we'd like to refer it to the community police
0:09:25 > 0:09:27or Wandsworth Trading Standards.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30But it was a case of deja vu because, sure enough,
0:09:30 > 0:09:34by the time officers arrived at the house, the gang had scarpered.
0:09:36 > 0:09:40Well, happily, the help and support given by bank staff
0:09:40 > 0:09:45probably saved those customers from losing a total of £14,000.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48For Chris Roe of Wandsworth Trading Standards,
0:09:48 > 0:09:52collaboration between themselves, the banks and the police
0:09:52 > 0:09:55is crucial in the fight against doorstep con artists.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58This is what makes the difference,
0:09:58 > 0:10:01all parties pulling together
0:10:01 > 0:10:06because we probably, a year ago, would not have heard of these,
0:10:06 > 0:10:07nor would the police.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10The bank would have probably paid that money out to the lady.
0:10:10 > 0:10:14Now, at least we're aware of it, we know what the problems are,
0:10:14 > 0:10:19and by working together, we can do something about it and prevent it.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22I think it's quite comforting that the bank
0:10:22 > 0:10:25will pick up on unusual amounts like that, it is monitored.
0:10:25 > 0:10:29Is that general policy across the country, do you think?
0:10:29 > 0:10:30Yes, I think it is.
0:10:30 > 0:10:34As this has got a bigger problem throughout the country,
0:10:34 > 0:10:36then more and more institutions,
0:10:36 > 0:10:39not just banks, but building societies and places like that,
0:10:39 > 0:10:45do pick up on and monitor it to try and stamp this out as much as we can.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48Now although the rogue builders in both these cases
0:10:48 > 0:10:49haven't yet been caught,
0:10:49 > 0:10:52the authorities are still on the lookout for them.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55In the meantime, the team at Wandsworth Trading Standards
0:10:55 > 0:10:58have come up with an effective way of fighting back
0:10:58 > 0:11:02and getting the message across to any potential doorstepping deviants
0:11:02 > 0:11:05that they're not going to be welcome in this borough!
0:11:05 > 0:11:08This is one of the Wandsworth No Cold Calling Zones,
0:11:08 > 0:11:10you can see the sign up there.
0:11:10 > 0:11:15This is part of the policy to try and combat these rogue builders.
0:11:15 > 0:11:20Its good, solid, it's bright, you can't just rip them down,
0:11:20 > 0:11:23and there's one at each corner of this junction, here.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27So it's obvious to any rogue builder,
0:11:27 > 0:11:30if they do call here, they stand out very much
0:11:30 > 0:11:31and people notice them.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34And, for these rogue traders, that's exactly what they don't want.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40Later, how the tables were turned on one rogue builder
0:11:40 > 0:11:43who took over half a million pounds from his customers,
0:11:43 > 0:11:47leaving a trail of shoddy workmanship in his wake.
0:11:47 > 0:11:48It was a daily battle
0:11:48 > 0:11:52and it was embarrassing, it was embarrassing that he was doing this,
0:11:52 > 0:11:55that we allowed him to do this to us.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00It's time to return to Doe Lea in Derbyshire,
0:12:00 > 0:12:03where Derek Weston runs a Neighbourhood Watch.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06Now, he's got friends in very high places,
0:12:06 > 0:12:11and they're just as determined as he is to end doorstep crime.
0:12:11 > 0:12:13In rural Derbyshire,
0:12:13 > 0:12:16Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator Derek is on a mission
0:12:16 > 0:12:19to help his community fight back against rogue traders.
0:12:19 > 0:12:24A crucial ally is Community Police Constable Tony Bagshaw.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27Their weekly catch-up meetings help to ensure
0:12:27 > 0:12:29that nothing in the neighbourhood is missed.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32- All right, Derek?- Come on in. - Cheers, thanks.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35One of the things that's very obvious from how the police
0:12:35 > 0:12:37can work with things like the Neighbourhood Watch
0:12:37 > 0:12:40is that they then become our eyes and ears in the community,
0:12:40 > 0:12:44they may see key issues or make a note of something suspicious
0:12:44 > 0:12:46and pass it on to me when I'm next on duty.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49It just may be that final piece of the jigsaw that we need
0:12:49 > 0:12:52to get arrests and gain convictions.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54Although a recent distraction burglary,
0:12:54 > 0:12:57which led to the tragic death of an elderly consumer
0:12:57 > 0:13:00has sent shockwaves throughout the community,
0:13:00 > 0:13:04Tony is well aware that doorstep con artists are an ongoing threat.
0:13:04 > 0:13:08One has happened recently where they've targeted a male,
0:13:08 > 0:13:10gone to his property, gone onto the roof,
0:13:10 > 0:13:12and, basically, convinced this person
0:13:12 > 0:13:17that he needs essential emergency repairs to his roof
0:13:17 > 0:13:21and convinced him to the point where he's given them a cheque for £2,000
0:13:21 > 0:13:26and the roof was fine, nothing wrong with the roof whatsoever.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28If someone comes to your door,
0:13:28 > 0:13:31if you don't know them, don't deal with them.
0:13:31 > 0:13:33Just say, "No, I'm not interested," and close the door.
0:13:33 > 0:13:36Well, time marches on and with the meeting over,
0:13:36 > 0:13:39Derek heads off to check on some more security lighting
0:13:39 > 0:13:43being installed on a nearby house by trusted electrician Geoff Clarke.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46He's a member of the Derbyshire Trusted Trader scheme,
0:13:46 > 0:13:50set up by the local council to put consumers in touch
0:13:50 > 0:13:52with honest and reliable tradespeople,
0:13:52 > 0:13:56because, let's face it, the vast majority do a terrific job.
0:13:56 > 0:14:00It's only a tiny minority who try to rip you off on the doorstep.
0:14:00 > 0:14:04It's really important, especially for older people and vulnerable people,
0:14:04 > 0:14:08to take a lot of care over who they let into their premises to work for them.
0:14:08 > 0:14:12It's very windy weather today and there'll be damage to people's roofs,
0:14:12 > 0:14:15and likely lads will be around offering to do work.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18We know that if people use Derbyshire's Trusted Traders scheme
0:14:18 > 0:14:20they will get legitimate tradesmen,
0:14:20 > 0:14:22and get a fair job done for a fair price.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25More and more local councils around the UK
0:14:25 > 0:14:28are setting up Trusted Trader schemes
0:14:28 > 0:14:31so it's always worth checking whether yours has got one.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34I treat clients as I want to be treated myself, you know,
0:14:34 > 0:14:37I wouldn't like to be ripped off and I've no intention
0:14:37 > 0:14:39of ripping anybody else off.
0:14:39 > 0:14:43All people want is a good job doing for a fair price.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46Through the Derbyshire Trusted Traders schemes,
0:14:46 > 0:14:49hopefully that will make things a lot better for people.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52It's great to see the community rallying round
0:14:52 > 0:14:54in the fight against rogue traders.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56Job done, Derek hits the streets
0:14:56 > 0:14:59because there are still plenty of visits to make
0:14:59 > 0:15:00before the end of the day.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06All I can say is, keep up the very good work, Derek! Well done!
0:15:06 > 0:15:08Now, I've had a lovely email from Sally Grayshon,
0:15:08 > 0:15:10from Greater Manchester.
0:15:10 > 0:15:14She was burgled in 1999 and as a result set up a Homewatch group,
0:15:14 > 0:15:18keeping neighbours in touch with news of any local crimes.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22Sally says it has led to numerous other social events
0:15:22 > 0:15:26like barbeques, parties, and lots of lovely conversations in the garden.
0:15:26 > 0:15:30A growing community spirit, which I think is terrific.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37Let's look at a story from the West Midlands,
0:15:37 > 0:15:40where a rogue builder called Ronald Wright
0:15:40 > 0:15:43managed to fleece a staggering amount of money from his customers
0:15:43 > 0:15:45without finishing a single job.
0:15:45 > 0:15:49Amongst his unsuspecting victims ware Tania and Alan Chuck.
0:15:49 > 0:15:54In early 2005, they decided to build a two-storey extension
0:15:54 > 0:15:56and after getting architects plans drawn up,
0:15:56 > 0:15:58they were ready to go.
0:15:58 > 0:16:02Now enter Ron Wright, but little did the Chucks know
0:16:02 > 0:16:05that by this stage, Ron had already left eight customers high and dry
0:16:05 > 0:16:09with unfinished work, despite taking their money.
0:16:09 > 0:16:14He was such a likeable person, he created a trust.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18He was just easy to talk to. He sold himself really well.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21If nothing else, Ron certainly had the gift of the gab
0:16:21 > 0:16:22and after the meeting,
0:16:22 > 0:16:28the Chucks agreed a price of £35,000 to complete their extension,
0:16:28 > 0:16:32with a payment of £10,000 in cash up front.
0:16:32 > 0:16:36For the first six weeks, he worked beautifully.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39Came in, did the basics, laid the foundations and stuff,
0:16:39 > 0:16:41so there was no complaints.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44After a flying start, things were going well
0:16:44 > 0:16:47and under the payment scheme they'd agreed,
0:16:47 > 0:16:50the Chucks now had to give Ron another £20,000 in cash.
0:16:50 > 0:16:55But in August 2005, work ground to a halt and Ron disappeared.
0:16:55 > 0:16:59We would phone, initially it started with,
0:16:59 > 0:17:02"Oh, he's just building a little wall for another person.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05"It will take him about a week and he'll be back."
0:17:05 > 0:17:09And then, "Oh, his guys are working on another job,
0:17:09 > 0:17:10"he has to, it's an emergency."
0:17:10 > 0:17:14But as Phil Page from Trading Standards' Scambusters team
0:17:14 > 0:17:18was to discover, this vanishing act was Ron's speciality.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20All of these stories were consistent
0:17:20 > 0:17:22with what we were hearing from other victims.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25They have difficulty getting hold of him.
0:17:25 > 0:17:32He comes up with one excuse after another about why he can't make it.
0:17:32 > 0:17:37After countless calls and emails over the summer of 2005,
0:17:37 > 0:17:39Tania and her husband finally managed to get hold of Ron,
0:17:39 > 0:17:43who explained that his mother had passed away.
0:17:43 > 0:17:50We made peace, he sold himself all over again and we agreed
0:17:50 > 0:17:53he was going to come back and finish the structure off.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55At the same time,
0:17:55 > 0:17:59he negotiated another £5,000 out of us for windows.
0:17:59 > 0:18:04It wasn't the existing windows for the extension, it was for the rest of the house.
0:18:04 > 0:18:09He agreed he could do that for us easily, so we gave him the £5,000.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14By now, the Chucks had given Ron £35,000 in cash
0:18:14 > 0:18:17and almost six months after the project had begun,
0:18:17 > 0:18:19work was back underway.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21But wary from their previous experience,
0:18:21 > 0:18:27the Chucks had tried to safeguard themselves against any further delays.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31Clearly, they were nervous about giving him some more money
0:18:31 > 0:18:34without some kind of security,
0:18:34 > 0:18:37so they ask him to sign a contract, whereby they will give him the money
0:18:37 > 0:18:41but there are penalty clauses inserted into the contract
0:18:41 > 0:18:44if he fails to complete the work by a certain date.
0:18:44 > 0:18:49And on those terms, they do pay him an additional £5,000.
0:18:49 > 0:18:53Work continued, but with little more than the shell completed
0:18:53 > 0:18:56and despite the clause in the new contract,
0:18:56 > 0:18:58Ron was soon back to his old ways
0:18:58 > 0:19:02and at the end of 2005, he disappeared once again.
0:19:02 > 0:19:07Tania and her husband were left over the Christmas and the winter months
0:19:07 > 0:19:10with a partly finished extension.
0:19:10 > 0:19:15There they were, they were wanting this extension to be completed.
0:19:15 > 0:19:17Ron had promised it finished in 12 weeks
0:19:17 > 0:19:19when it had started in April.
0:19:19 > 0:19:24And it was absolutely nowhere near being finished
0:19:24 > 0:19:29and clearly this is not something you want over the winter months
0:19:29 > 0:19:30and over the Christmas period.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33By now, of course, the strain of the situation
0:19:33 > 0:19:36was taking its toll on Tania and her family.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40It was very stressful, it was demoralising coming home
0:19:40 > 0:19:42and seeing the house look the way it did,
0:19:42 > 0:19:44it was in your face the whole time.
0:19:44 > 0:19:48It was heart-wrenching to be honest with you,
0:19:48 > 0:19:50it was a daily battle.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53And it was embarrassing that he was doing this,
0:19:53 > 0:19:56that we allowed him to do this to us.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59Tania and her husband continued to try and contact Ron,
0:19:59 > 0:20:02but were stopped in their tracks when he told them
0:20:02 > 0:20:05he'd been diagnosed with kidney stones and liver cancer.
0:20:05 > 0:20:09Sympathetic to his situation, the Chucks stopped pursuing him.
0:20:09 > 0:20:13But events were about to unfold which led to the shocking revelation
0:20:13 > 0:20:16that not only was Ron lying about being ill,
0:20:16 > 0:20:20but that he'd also lied when he told them his mum had passed away.
0:20:20 > 0:20:24To use an excuse such as your mother's died, when she hasn't,
0:20:24 > 0:20:29to get out of completing a contract is absolutely reprehensible.
0:20:29 > 0:20:33It was very hard not to believe him at the time,
0:20:33 > 0:20:36but that he could lie like that was just horrific.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39Ron Wright was really the lowest of the low,
0:20:39 > 0:20:43and with complaints being made against him all over the midlands,
0:20:43 > 0:20:45it was only a matter of time
0:20:45 > 0:20:48before Trading Standards and the police caught up with him.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51Ron was actually arrested in December 2007,
0:20:51 > 0:20:54as we executed a warrant at his property
0:20:54 > 0:20:57in conjunction with West Midlands police.
0:20:57 > 0:21:01He attended the police station and was interviewed by officers.
0:21:01 > 0:21:06In those interviews, he basically gave us the same sort of excuses
0:21:06 > 0:21:08he'd been giving his customers
0:21:08 > 0:21:11as to why he'd been unable to complete the work.
0:21:11 > 0:21:15Showed very little remorse at all for his customers.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18It transpired that during a seven-year crime spree,
0:21:18 > 0:21:21Ron had ripped off 18 customers by taking their money
0:21:21 > 0:21:24and then leaving them with unfinished work
0:21:24 > 0:21:28and a staggering bill to have his shoddy workmanship put right.
0:21:28 > 0:21:34Ron had quoted £725,000 for the work he was to do
0:21:34 > 0:21:40and those consumers had paid him over £560,000.
0:21:40 > 0:21:44However, by the time Ron had finished and left those premises,
0:21:44 > 0:21:49they still had to pay other builders over £600,000
0:21:49 > 0:21:53to have his work finished, remedied, rectified.
0:21:53 > 0:21:55A fantastic amount of money.
0:21:56 > 0:21:58Since work on their extension began,
0:21:58 > 0:22:03Tania and Alan have now spent £56,134,
0:22:03 > 0:22:07but it's still not enough to put right the mess that Ron left behind,
0:22:07 > 0:22:12so they're left with a constant reminder of this despicable man.
0:22:12 > 0:22:17As you can see, five years down the road and this is still not complete.
0:22:17 > 0:22:21It's taken so long to calculate and get in the money
0:22:21 > 0:22:25and recoup what we had to repair his work with.
0:22:25 > 0:22:30You can still see down here that the roof and this side of the wall
0:22:30 > 0:22:32has not been insulated and completed.
0:22:32 > 0:22:36We still need a floor, this is the original garage floor.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39But there is still so much we need to do here.
0:22:42 > 0:22:43A terrible situation.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46Well, to assemble the best possible case against Ron,
0:22:46 > 0:22:51Trading Standards spend over three years gathering as much information and evidence as they could.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55And in December 2011, magistrates helped him perform
0:22:55 > 0:22:59a more permanent vanishing act, when he was sentenced to 21 months imprisonment.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02This sends a message to this type of trader
0:23:02 > 0:23:05that you're not get away with it.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08You will be caught, and, if necessary,
0:23:08 > 0:23:10you will be taken through the legal system
0:23:10 > 0:23:12and be sentenced appropriately.
0:23:13 > 0:23:17It's reassuring to know that justice has finally been done,
0:23:17 > 0:23:18but for Tania and the many others
0:23:18 > 0:23:22who have lost tens of thousands of pounds at the hands of Ron Wright,
0:23:22 > 0:23:24it's a small consolation.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29I was happy but I was also disappointed.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32I would have liked him to have stayed in there a little bit longer
0:23:32 > 0:23:35or have a bit more severe punishment.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39But at least 21 month gives him enough time to think
0:23:39 > 0:23:42about what he's done and acknowledge what he's done.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45Hopefully, he'll never do this again.
0:23:49 > 0:23:51What an extraordinary story.
0:23:51 > 0:23:55At this point we're due back in Derbyshire for one last appointment
0:23:55 > 0:23:58with Neighbourhood Watch coordinator Derek Weston.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03After a spate of doorstep scams, including the terrible case
0:24:03 > 0:24:07of one elderly resident who was conned out of £1,200,
0:24:07 > 0:24:10the village of Doe Lea is now fighting back
0:24:10 > 0:24:13and it's Derek Weston who's leading the charge.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16One of the other services we offer is a security survey.
0:24:16 > 0:24:19One guy who heard about the tragic events a few doors away
0:24:19 > 0:24:22would like us to do one, and we're here now this afternoon to do that.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25Security checks are a crucial part of Derek's work,
0:24:25 > 0:24:29not least because they help to reassure residents
0:24:29 > 0:24:31like Carl Eggington.
0:24:31 > 0:24:35- Hello.- Hello, Derek. Come in. - Security survey time.- Well done.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38Rogue traders are a particular worry for Carl
0:24:38 > 0:24:41after his neighbour was recently scammed by a doorstep conman.
0:24:41 > 0:24:46We heard about the incident down the road through the Neighbourhood Watch
0:24:46 > 0:24:48and we were in touch with Derek,
0:24:48 > 0:24:52to see if there was anything we could do, in the way of security, for ourselves.
0:24:52 > 0:24:56Derek's first job is to determine how secure Carl's home actually is.
0:24:56 > 0:25:01Straight away, I see you've got a modern, secure door, with a contact,
0:25:01 > 0:25:05a spy hole, and this, very excellent, security device.
0:25:05 > 0:25:10It does help because it is something, as you get a bit older,
0:25:10 > 0:25:15you realise you aren't what you used to be and you need somebody
0:25:15 > 0:25:19who can keep an eye out and help with any problems that come along.
0:25:19 > 0:25:20Before he leaves,
0:25:20 > 0:25:24Derek runs through an important security checklist with Carl.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27Can I just ask you, when you lock up at night,
0:25:27 > 0:25:29what do you do with the door keys?
0:25:29 > 0:25:32We lock both the safety chain and the door itself.
0:25:32 > 0:25:36- Then we put the keys away. Out of sight.- Great. That's good.
0:25:36 > 0:25:40We feel that we've done what we can to be safe on the doorstep,
0:25:40 > 0:25:44and also that Neighbourhood Watch is helping us to stay safe.
0:25:44 > 0:25:46So, it's been a long but fruitful day for Derek
0:25:46 > 0:25:50in his ongoing fight against doorstep con artists.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53These are despicable crimes, especially as they prey on
0:25:53 > 0:25:57people who are vulnerable to the type of crime which is being committed.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00With an amazing 76% of Doe Lea residents
0:26:00 > 0:26:03now signed up to the Neighbourhood Watch scheme,
0:26:03 > 0:26:05I'm sure that doorstep criminals
0:26:05 > 0:26:08will think twice before targeting the village again.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11When prospective rogue traders approach these doors,
0:26:11 > 0:26:15they will see straight away they won't be welcome, and that's really good news.
0:26:19 > 0:26:24Well, many thanks to Derek and all his neighbours for inviting us into their homes.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27There's just enough time to read you Pauline Hogan's trick
0:26:27 > 0:26:29for discouraging cold-callers,
0:26:29 > 0:26:33she says, "If anybody knocks at the door who I'm not expecting,
0:26:33 > 0:26:35"I simply say, 'It's not convenient.' "
0:26:35 > 0:26:38Well, I suppose that's the diplomatic way of putting it,
0:26:38 > 0:26:39but thanks for the tip.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42I must say it's been fantastic hearing your stories
0:26:42 > 0:26:46about how you've stopped doorstep criminals from ripping you off.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48So, I hope you'll keep in touch with us.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51The details are at...
0:26:51 > 0:26:54Thanks for being with us today, I hope you'll join me again next time
0:26:54 > 0:26:56when we'll do it all over again.
0:27:19 > 0:27:23Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd