0:00:02 > 0:00:04There's one issue you've told us drives you up the wall.
0:00:04 > 0:00:09You read about it in the paper, it never seems to come round your area, but it landed on our doorstep.
0:00:09 > 0:00:13Unfortunately, it's an issue which is becoming more widespread.
0:00:13 > 0:00:18These conmen have no regard whatsoever for their victims.
0:00:18 > 0:00:22Usually it's the most defenceless people who are targeted.
0:00:22 > 0:00:27He'd taken the most precious things that I still had from my husband.
0:00:27 > 0:00:32We're talking about crime that takes place on your own doorstep.
0:00:32 > 0:00:36These crimes are serious and upsetting because they happen in your own home.
0:00:36 > 0:00:40It affects the elderly, the vulnerable and people who can't really look after themselves.
0:00:40 > 0:00:45I think crime that happens on the doorstep is despicable and should certainly be stopped.
0:00:45 > 0:00:51We're here to stamp out doorstep crime and name and shame the culprits.
0:00:51 > 0:00:55Our cameras have been out with award-winning police
0:00:55 > 0:00:57and trading standards teams all over the country
0:00:57 > 0:01:03and with your help, we're campaigning to show these cold-calling con artists the door.
0:01:03 > 0:01:07Today, the touching story of a police officer
0:01:07 > 0:01:10rushing to a consumer's aid after her traumatic experience
0:01:10 > 0:01:12with a doorstep tradesman...
0:01:12 > 0:01:16She was really quite distressed about what had happened.
0:01:16 > 0:01:20Plus, the uplifting way to find out how not to be ripped off...
0:01:20 > 0:01:22# I know all the rules
0:01:22 > 0:01:24# And the regulations
0:01:24 > 0:01:28# Trading Standards is here for you. #
0:01:28 > 0:01:33And we're on the case with Essex officers determined to bring rogue builders to justice.
0:01:33 > 0:01:37He'll be arrested, held in custody and then brought into the court.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46Your emails and letters about cold callers
0:01:46 > 0:01:48have certainly been keeping us busy.
0:01:48 > 0:01:52Bunny Farnell-Watson and Jennifer Simons have both written in to say
0:01:52 > 0:01:54there's nothing worse than opening your front door
0:01:54 > 0:01:57and finding a stranger there who just wants to rip you off.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59Thousands of you seem to agree.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03I think it's reassuring that police and other law enforcement agencies
0:02:03 > 0:02:07are working hard, up and down the country, to put a stop to these crimes.
0:02:07 > 0:02:12Our team is in Essex as one doorstep criminal is brought to justice.
0:02:12 > 0:02:18It's 9:15am in Chelmsford, Autumn 2011.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21Environment Services Officer Stuart Thompson is waiting
0:02:21 > 0:02:24for a cold-calling con merchant named Mark Finch
0:02:24 > 0:02:28to arrive at court. But there's one small problem.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32As this is the third time he's been due to appear before magistrates,
0:02:32 > 0:02:33will he actually turn up?
0:02:33 > 0:02:37Mr Finch is here today to answer offences of being
0:02:37 > 0:02:39an unregistered waste carrier
0:02:39 > 0:02:43where he took asbestos away from a 92-year-old woman's house.
0:02:43 > 0:02:48He's what we would class as a rogue trader. He's currently on bail,
0:02:48 > 0:02:52to appear at 9.30. That time has now gone and he's still not appeared.
0:02:52 > 0:02:58Unsurprisingly, this is one doorstep that Mark Finch is not so keen to cross.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02If he doesn't appear today, there'll be another warrant for his arrest issued
0:03:02 > 0:03:06and this time it will be without bail, which means he'll be arrested,
0:03:06 > 0:03:09held in custody and then brought into the court by the police.
0:03:09 > 0:03:13We're all keen for Mark Finch to get his comeuppance, but first,
0:03:13 > 0:03:19let's rewind over the events that have led him to being summonsed here.
0:03:19 > 0:03:25This is an extraordinary story featuring not one, but two doorstep conmen.
0:03:25 > 0:03:27We'll come back to Mr Finch in a few minutes.
0:03:27 > 0:03:32But first, we need to meet the brave heroines of our story,
0:03:32 > 0:03:3692-year-old Ruby Brown and her neighbour and close friend, Sheila Wood,
0:03:36 > 0:03:40and find out what they did to stand up to these conniving crooks.
0:03:40 > 0:03:42I can't explain what it does to you.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46I really can't.
0:03:46 > 0:03:47KNOCKING ON DOOR
0:03:47 > 0:03:51You dread the doorbell going, wondering who's there.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54The terrible experience that Ruby is describing
0:03:54 > 0:03:56began when there was a knock at her door.
0:03:56 > 0:04:00Now, this wasn't Mark Finch, but another rogue trader
0:04:00 > 0:04:02believed to be an associate of his.
0:04:02 > 0:04:06She answered the door and it was a man trying to sell block paving.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09Originally, she said she didn't want any block paving,
0:04:09 > 0:04:13he was quite persistent and eventually talked her into having a small area done.
0:04:13 > 0:04:17I knew I couldn't afford the price he was asking me
0:04:17 > 0:04:21and it wasn't something that desperately needed doing.
0:04:21 > 0:04:26'Persuasive, dreadfully persuasive. Wouldn't take no for an answer.
0:04:26 > 0:04:31'I was getting so worked up, I suppose,'
0:04:31 > 0:04:36and by then, I was in a tizz so I said yes.
0:04:36 > 0:04:40The man quoted Ruby £560 to carry out the work
0:04:40 > 0:04:43and although she felt pressurised into having it done,
0:04:43 > 0:04:45she did believe that it would be money well spent.
0:04:45 > 0:04:50If you'd have seen his brochure with jobs he'd done,
0:04:50 > 0:04:53it all looked so nice, didn't it?
0:04:53 > 0:04:59We'll be finding out what happened when the builder returned to Ruby's house a little later on.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03Now, here's another example of doorstep crime.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06Hello, I'm Shirley. Like many viewers,
0:05:06 > 0:05:10our family's experienced problems with cold callers on the doorstep.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14Recently, I've been to something that's raised the awareness of it
0:05:14 > 0:05:17and I'd like to tell you a little bit about it.
0:05:17 > 0:05:22Hmm, I'm intrigued. We'll find out what's on Shirley's mind later on in the programme.
0:05:22 > 0:05:27I'd also like to thank Derek Steel of Cumbria for his email which really caught my eye.
0:05:27 > 0:05:32He wrote to tell us what happened to his mother, Lily, after a visit from cold-callers.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35It was such a poignant story that we just had to meet him
0:05:35 > 0:05:39to find out how the police brought them to justice.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42This case takes us to Brampton near Carlisle.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45It clearly shows the dreadful impact
0:05:45 > 0:05:50the actions of callous doorstep criminals can have on the vulnerable.
0:05:50 > 0:05:55They weren't proper traders. They were just, in my opinion, conmen.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59Derek's mum Lily had lived in this modest terraced house
0:05:59 > 0:06:02in Brampton, near Carlisle for over 40 years
0:06:02 > 0:06:05and was a very valued member of the community.
0:06:05 > 0:06:09Everybody who knew her loved her. Even the local road sweeper says,
0:06:09 > 0:06:13every time he passed she would come to the door and give him some sweets.
0:06:13 > 0:06:18So everybody knew her and everybody loved her. She was such a lovely person.
0:06:18 > 0:06:24On a bright April morning in 2007, there was a knock at the door
0:06:24 > 0:06:28- and 79-year-old Lily went to answer. - There was these two young men there.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32They told her that they were passing, they'd seen a loose tile on her roof
0:06:32 > 0:06:34and they would fix it for her.
0:06:34 > 0:06:41The pair seemed trustworthy and the offer of a bit of remedial work on the roof was certainly tempting.
0:06:41 > 0:06:46Then they said, "We've also noticed a lot of moss on the roof which needs
0:06:46 > 0:06:48"cleaning off. We'll do that."
0:06:48 > 0:06:52After they'd done that, they said, "You need a new cowl on the chimney.
0:06:52 > 0:06:56"One of us will go buy one and we'll repair that for you as well."
0:06:56 > 0:07:00It all sounded marvellous and Lily was thrilled.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03But it was about to turn into a typical doorstep scam.
0:07:03 > 0:07:08These so-called roofers were inventing job after job for themselves
0:07:08 > 0:07:11and when Derek popped round later that afternoon,
0:07:11 > 0:07:12he was in for a big surprise.
0:07:12 > 0:07:16When I arrived at my mothers and before I walked through the door,
0:07:16 > 0:07:19she says, "You won't believe what I've done today.
0:07:19 > 0:07:23"I've had a lot of work done on the house. I've had the roof fixed,
0:07:23 > 0:07:27"a new cowl on the chimney, all the moss cleaned off the roof."
0:07:27 > 0:07:32It came as a shock to me because she hadn't told me she'd planned to do this.
0:07:32 > 0:07:37Even more of a shock was how much Lily had paid the pair.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41'She'd offered them a cheque but they said, "if you give me a cheque,'
0:07:41 > 0:07:45"we'd have to add on VAT so it's much better if you pay cash."
0:07:45 > 0:07:48She said she didn't have that amount of money in the house.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52They asked her how much money she did have in the house,
0:07:52 > 0:07:55and at the time she had £1,200.
0:07:55 > 0:08:01Unbelievable! That £1,200 was the money Lily had been saving
0:08:01 > 0:08:05for a holiday with her sister. So Derek immediately got in touch
0:08:05 > 0:08:08with a respected local builder for some expert advice.
0:08:08 > 0:08:13He said if the work had all been done correctly, it should not have cost more than £300.
0:08:13 > 0:08:18I'm afraid there was more bad news. Not only had these rogue roofers
0:08:18 > 0:08:24vastly overcharged poor Lily, their cavalier approach could have cost her her life.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26'The cowl they replaced'
0:08:26 > 0:08:31on the chimney was the was wrong type of cowl. The chimney was now blocked
0:08:31 > 0:08:35and if she used the gas fire, the fumes would not be allowed to escape
0:08:35 > 0:08:37and would come back into the room.
0:08:37 > 0:08:41It seemed these doorstep rip-off merchants would stop at nothing
0:08:41 > 0:08:45to make their money, including putting someone's life at risk.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48The builder in the case had used
0:08:48 > 0:08:52a cowl that was deemed illegal for use with a gas fire.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56I've got photos here of the actual cowling.
0:08:56 > 0:09:01The cowl needs to be of a certain diameter with certain holes in different areas.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05This is the one that was used on Lily's chimney top.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08On the top of the cowl, you can see it does say,
0:09:08 > 0:09:10"Do not use as a gas terminal."
0:09:10 > 0:09:15They haven't even thought about what the consequences could have been
0:09:15 > 0:09:20and the result of that could have been very dire in Lillian's case.
0:09:20 > 0:09:25Well, the pair had conned Lily out of her £1,200 holiday savings,
0:09:25 > 0:09:28but it wasn't just the loss of the cash that troubled her.
0:09:28 > 0:09:33When she realised she'd been ripped off, straight away she was worried
0:09:33 > 0:09:36about these men coming back the following day.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38One of the police officers agreed
0:09:38 > 0:09:41she would come back in the morning and stay all day
0:09:41 > 0:09:45with my mother just in case these people did turn up.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48Lily spoke to me that morning
0:09:48 > 0:09:53and she was really quite distressed about what had happened.
0:09:53 > 0:09:57Although shaken by the incident, Lily went on the holiday
0:09:57 > 0:10:01she'd planned with her sister, thinking it might do her some good.
0:10:01 > 0:10:03But sadly within a day she fell ill.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06Her son Derek rushed to her hospital bedside.
0:10:07 > 0:10:12What she told me was that she didn't want to come back home,
0:10:12 > 0:10:15she didn't want to go back in that house, she wanted it sold.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18Within a week, she died.
0:10:18 > 0:10:22Tragically, the events of the past few days
0:10:22 > 0:10:25had proven just too much for poor Lily.
0:10:25 > 0:10:31It was now up to the police to catch the rogue traders who'd caused her such terrible distress.
0:10:31 > 0:10:35We went through the house looking for fingerprints, any little piece of evidence
0:10:35 > 0:10:39to help us find out who these people were.
0:10:39 > 0:10:45From speaking to the neighbours, we realised one of the offenders had been smoking
0:10:45 > 0:10:49and the cigarette butts were still outside Lillian's back door.
0:10:49 > 0:10:53They were recovered for forensic examination, fingerprints were taken.
0:10:53 > 0:10:57And there was another piece of evidence which would prove crucial
0:10:57 > 0:10:59in the search for the doorstep conmen.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02We knew that the van had been in and around Brampton,
0:11:02 > 0:11:08so I sat and raked through hours and hours of CCTV to find the van,
0:11:08 > 0:11:12get descriptions of the people, which proved very fruitful
0:11:12 > 0:11:14and we got some details of the van.
0:11:14 > 0:11:18With the evidence mounting up, it wasn't long before the police
0:11:18 > 0:11:21caught one of the rogue roofers.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24William Edward O'Neill was arrested and charged with fraud
0:11:24 > 0:11:28and in November 2007 was sentenced to 30 months in prison.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31The other rogue was never identified.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35I think to have somebody convicted
0:11:35 > 0:11:41of that type of fraud against an 80-year-old lady
0:11:41 > 0:11:44who was seen as vulnerable, who he'd picked off,
0:11:44 > 0:11:46who he was picking on,
0:11:46 > 0:11:49to have somebody imprisoned for it was a good way to end the case.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52It's shocking that somebody can be as terribly affected
0:11:52 > 0:11:55by doorstep crime as Lily.
0:11:55 > 0:11:57A few years on from her death,
0:11:57 > 0:12:00her son Derek believes there are things we can all do
0:12:00 > 0:12:03to support those who want to fight back against the criminals
0:12:03 > 0:12:05and protect the vulnerable.
0:12:05 > 0:12:10The main thing everyone must do is support the person the best you can,
0:12:10 > 0:12:14be there for them at all times and keep an eye out for them
0:12:14 > 0:12:17because you don't know how they're going to be affected by it.
0:12:17 > 0:12:21The biggest message to get across is to not allow people
0:12:21 > 0:12:23that just call on your door to do any work for you
0:12:23 > 0:12:26and hopefully we can try and prevent
0:12:26 > 0:12:29these sort of nasty, horrible offences happening in future.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36Derek, thank you so very much for sharing your story with us.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38Now a little later in the programme,
0:12:38 > 0:12:42we'll hear from another community fighting back against doorstep crime,
0:12:42 > 0:12:46all thanks to a musical that brings the issues to life.
0:12:46 > 0:12:48You want to be trusting,
0:12:48 > 0:12:51but you have to make sure that you're trusting the right people.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57We're determined that doorstep criminals should be made
0:12:57 > 0:12:59to pay for their crimes.
0:12:59 > 0:13:03And that's exactly what's happening in Essex in Ruby Brown's story.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07Remember, she was targeted by cold-calling rogue traders.
0:13:07 > 0:13:12Environment services officer Stuart Thompson is waiting...
0:13:12 > 0:13:16and waiting for doorstop criminal Mark Finch
0:13:16 > 0:13:18to arrive at Chelmsford court.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22The events that led to Finch being summonsed here
0:13:22 > 0:13:26began when his accomplice bullied 92-year-old Ruby Brown
0:13:26 > 0:13:31into letting him block pave part of her driveway for £560.
0:13:31 > 0:13:36But as Ruby was about to discover, this so called tradesman
0:13:36 > 0:13:37was not a man to be trusted.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40The following day they turned up
0:13:40 > 0:13:43and they were going to block pave the whole driveway.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46Although she didn't want this done, she was talked into it
0:13:46 > 0:13:48and she had the work done.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51'He just wouldn't take no for an answer.'
0:13:51 > 0:13:55I wouldn't wish it on anybody else. It's an awful thing to go through.
0:13:55 > 0:13:57To block pave the entire driveway,
0:13:57 > 0:14:01this cold-calling conman wanted £4,000.
0:14:01 > 0:14:05It's another sickening story of rogues preying on the vulnerable,
0:14:05 > 0:14:11but sadly Ruby's ordeal had only just begun. Enter Mr Finch.
0:14:11 > 0:14:15Once this work was completed, another man we now know to be Finch
0:14:15 > 0:14:19turned up and said the block paver had hired him to clean up.
0:14:19 > 0:14:23He then mentioned that her garage, which was asbestos,
0:14:23 > 0:14:25was in quite bad condition.
0:14:25 > 0:14:31Mr Finch quoted her £1,500 to take away the asbestos
0:14:31 > 0:14:37and put wooden cladding on the structure. The price was agreed.
0:14:37 > 0:14:41The following day he turned up and wanted £500 in cash
0:14:41 > 0:14:46which he said was for materials and the disposal of the asbestos.
0:14:46 > 0:14:51We've all heard terrifying stories about how dangerous asbestos can be.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54But the way in which you dispose of it, can be equally dangerous.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57There are strict rules that must be followed.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00For Mr Finch to operate in accordance with the law,
0:15:00 > 0:15:05he would have to be registered with the Environment Agency to carry waste,
0:15:05 > 0:15:09so we can ensure that waste, especially asbestos, is disposed of appropriately.
0:15:10 > 0:15:14As it turned out Ruby's knowledge of asbestos disposal,
0:15:14 > 0:15:16was far greater than Mr Finch's.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19I was aware that I had to be careful,
0:15:19 > 0:15:22that had to be disposed of in a proper manner.
0:15:22 > 0:15:26'He'd have to have a suit, goggles'
0:15:26 > 0:15:28and proper bags.
0:15:28 > 0:15:32He took it away in council bin bags.
0:15:32 > 0:15:34If he'd turned up to sweep the garden path,
0:15:34 > 0:15:37he wouldn't have be dressed any different.
0:15:37 > 0:15:41Luckily for Ruby, her neighbour and good friend Sheila was on the ball
0:15:41 > 0:15:44and keeping a watchful eye on everything.
0:15:44 > 0:15:46I was in the living room,
0:15:46 > 0:15:49and we knew he was coming to pick it up
0:15:49 > 0:15:52so I looked out the window
0:15:52 > 0:15:56'and I saw him just throwing it into the back of the car.'
0:15:56 > 0:16:00As he was doing that there was a police car on call somewhere
0:16:00 > 0:16:06with the siren going. And 'course, he jumped in and he went.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09These men obviously had something to hide.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13But that didn't stop them coming back to finish the job.
0:16:13 > 0:16:17Ruby had already paid £4,000 for the driveway
0:16:17 > 0:16:22and now Mark Finch was promising her a fabulous new garage for £1,500.
0:16:22 > 0:16:28But as you can imagine, Ruby's problems with these tradesmen were far from over.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31I'm glad to say, there is a happy ending in store for Ruby,
0:16:31 > 0:16:34but I won't spoil it for you just yet.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37Earlier, we saw that video of Shirley in Kent.
0:16:37 > 0:16:41Her family was affected by doorstep crime some years ago,
0:16:41 > 0:16:44but a recent event has brought the memories flooding back.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46I wanted to find out why.
0:16:49 > 0:16:53The council and police force responsible for The Medway Towns
0:16:53 > 0:16:55take doorstep crime very seriously.
0:16:55 > 0:17:00They've decided to try something a little different to get the message across.
0:17:00 > 0:17:04Believe it or not, what they're doing is happening in this very building.
0:17:04 > 0:17:06# When those cowboys
0:17:06 > 0:17:08# See us watching
0:17:08 > 0:17:10# What they're doing
0:17:10 > 0:17:12# Oooh... #
0:17:12 > 0:17:17Bear with me, because there is an important message about doorstep crime to this musical.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20'Although the plays are about a very serious subject,'
0:17:20 > 0:17:26we do use humour, we use songs people know and can sing along with.
0:17:26 > 0:17:31So they see re-enactments of serious incidents going on.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34But we also show ways of avoiding it as well
0:17:34 > 0:17:38# All the rules and the regulations
0:17:38 > 0:17:41# Trading standards is here... #
0:17:41 > 0:17:45For the past 6 years, The Solomon Theatre Company
0:17:45 > 0:17:50have been touring the country performing two musicals called Trickster and Scambuster
0:17:50 > 0:17:54which are aimed at raising awareness of cold-calling crimes.
0:17:54 > 0:18:00- You said £50.- No, no, no, no, no. I said £50 a square metre.
0:18:00 > 0:18:05- Square metre?- Come on, grandad. We went through all this last week.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07Have you gone a bit mental or what?
0:18:07 > 0:18:10'The inspiration for these plays is to find a way
0:18:10 > 0:18:14'through live theatre of getting over the ways
0:18:14 > 0:18:21'of avoiding being scammed and cheated by doorstep crime.'
0:18:21 > 0:18:24We lost £500.
0:18:24 > 0:18:28It's believed that so far these shows have been performed 5,000 times
0:18:28 > 0:18:34to an audience of up to 25,000 people at venues across the whole of the UK.
0:18:34 > 0:18:39One person who knows more than most about the themes in this production is Shirley Vick.
0:18:39 > 0:18:43She lives close to where the production's taking place.
0:18:43 > 0:18:47One of her family members was severely targeted by doorstep crime.
0:18:49 > 0:18:55Shirley has lived in the Medway area for many years and I'm keen to find out more about the events
0:18:55 > 0:18:59that inspired her to go along and see today's performance.
0:18:59 > 0:19:01Shirley, you've had a rather distressing incident
0:19:01 > 0:19:05within the family. Describe to me exactly what happened that day.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08My in-laws were in sheltered accommodation.
0:19:08 > 0:19:14Unfortunately, my mother-in-law at that time was in the earlier stages of Alzheimer's.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17So my father-in-law was doing the cooking, he was in the kitchen,
0:19:17 > 0:19:20dishing up the lunch and someone came to the door.
0:19:20 > 0:19:24My mother-in-law answered the door and someone said they were
0:19:24 > 0:19:27from the water board and wanted to check the water pressure.
0:19:27 > 0:19:31Sheltered accommodation can be a prime target for doorstep criminals
0:19:31 > 0:19:36because they know the inhabitants are likely to be vulnerable.
0:19:36 > 0:19:41Sadly, that's exactly what happened with Shirley's in-laws, Sid and Dorothy.
0:19:41 > 0:19:46So ordinarily, Sid, your father-in-law, would have gone to the door.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48Yes, or even if Mum had answered the door,
0:19:48 > 0:19:52he would have followed her out to made sure it was OK.
0:19:52 > 0:19:54With Dorothy answering the door,
0:19:54 > 0:19:57the rogue easily managed to talk his way into the house.
0:19:57 > 0:20:01He just came in and said, "I've come to check the water pressure.
0:20:01 > 0:20:05"Won't take a moment." And dad said, "You can't do it now, we're cooking."
0:20:05 > 0:20:11My father-in-law picked his stick up and said, "If you don't go out now, you'll feel this."
0:20:11 > 0:20:17The chap did go but it was at that moment he opened the door, they saw his accomplice.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21And that of course is the crucial point here. The guy barged in,
0:20:21 > 0:20:25closed the kitchen door behind him in a very small space.
0:20:25 > 0:20:29In the meantime, the other guy was doing his business.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32Sid and Dorothy had been caught out by distraction burglars.
0:20:32 > 0:20:37They lost around £300. But as a proud and very independent man,
0:20:37 > 0:20:40the real cost of this terrible doorstep crime
0:20:40 > 0:20:44was that it fundamentally affected Sid's confidence.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47He was always in command of a situation.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51All of a sudden, somebody had stopped that happening.
0:20:51 > 0:20:55They'd come in and taken away where he thought he was protecting mum.
0:20:55 > 0:21:00He felt he couldn't protect her any longer, if a stranger could just come in and do something like that.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03Tragic stories of the kind that happened to Sid and Dorothy
0:21:03 > 0:21:07were the inspiration behind the Scambuster musical.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10CHATTER
0:21:10 > 0:21:13The actors have already noticed they're making
0:21:13 > 0:21:17a positive difference to preventing doorstep crime.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20# Too too good to be true
0:21:20 > 0:21:23# Too too good to be true... #
0:21:23 > 0:21:27'Almost the first show we did, we had an old lady sat in front row,'
0:21:27 > 0:21:29she was very quiet through the show.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32On the way home, she said to the people that had brought her,
0:21:32 > 0:21:35"Have you had any double glazing done recently?"
0:21:35 > 0:21:39They said, "No, what do you mean?" It turned out that 2 days before,
0:21:39 > 0:21:42this chap had turned up, got in her house. He wouldn't leave
0:21:42 > 0:21:46until she'd signed a contract for £14,000 worth of double glazing.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49Fortunately, they were able to get on to the police
0:21:49 > 0:21:51and they got her money back.
0:21:51 > 0:21:56But, if hadn't come to see our show that day, she'd have lost that money.
0:21:56 > 0:22:02Any steps whatsoever that can be taken to make a stand against cold-calling crooks is a good thing.
0:22:02 > 0:22:07It sounds as though Scambusters is doing a great job of raising awareness.
0:22:07 > 0:22:11It's a rather unusual way, a fun way, to get the message across.
0:22:11 > 0:22:13What did you pick up from it?
0:22:13 > 0:22:17If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20That was another important part,
0:22:20 > 0:22:26don't feel, "I've been so stupid doing that. I can't possibly tell anybody."
0:22:26 > 0:22:31If you tell somebody, somebody else can stop them doing the same thing.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34That's the lesson I'm learning through this programme.
0:22:34 > 0:22:38We have all been scammed, or almost scammed, at one point or another.
0:22:38 > 0:22:42- It is universal.- That's right. You think, "That'll never happen to me."
0:22:42 > 0:22:47But it's the worst thing to think, really. You want to be trusting,
0:22:47 > 0:22:50but you have to make sure you're trusting the right people.
0:22:50 > 0:22:55So if you had to think of one lesson that you've learnt from the musical, what would it be?
0:22:55 > 0:22:58Stop, think and be sceptical.
0:22:58 > 0:23:02- Oh, go on. Sing it! - No, don't ask me to do that!
0:23:02 > 0:23:04You can't pay me enough to do that!
0:23:04 > 0:23:08# Too too good to be true
0:23:08 > 0:23:09# Come on!
0:23:09 > 0:23:10# Too too good to be true
0:23:10 > 0:23:11# Yeah
0:23:11 > 0:23:12# Too too
0:23:12 > 0:23:15# Too good to be true. #
0:23:15 > 0:23:16Yeah!
0:23:16 > 0:23:20APPLAUSE
0:23:20 > 0:23:24Many thanks, Shirley. I think you'll agree, a very unusual
0:23:24 > 0:23:27but enjoyable way of fighting back against doorstep crime.
0:23:27 > 0:23:31And obviously, our very best wishes to the Scambusters team.
0:23:31 > 0:23:36Someone else fighting back is Essex Environmental Services Officer Stuart Thompson,
0:23:36 > 0:23:42who's determined to bring one rogue builder to justice, but will he get his man?
0:23:42 > 0:23:46We've seen how poor Ruby Brown was cold-called by a tradesman
0:23:46 > 0:23:50who coerced her into having her drive block-paved.
0:23:50 > 0:23:54His accomplice Mark Finch then told her she needed a new garage
0:23:54 > 0:23:57to replace her old one made of asbestos.
0:23:57 > 0:24:00The standard of their work was absolutely diabolical.
0:24:00 > 0:24:04In all, it cost Ruby £4,000 for the block paving,
0:24:04 > 0:24:07£3,500 for the garage
0:24:07 > 0:24:11and then another £4,000 to have everything completely redone
0:24:11 > 0:24:13by a proper tradesman.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16Ruby lost £8,500
0:24:16 > 0:24:19all because she opened her door to these vicious cold callers.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22But here's the bit we love, the comeuppance,
0:24:22 > 0:24:24which was thanks to that asbestos.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27He took it and apparently dumped it somewhere.
0:24:27 > 0:24:32The police have got photographs of it
0:24:32 > 0:24:35and she had to identify that it was her asbestos.
0:24:35 > 0:24:39So what happened to these rogues? Well, let's come back up to date...
0:24:42 > 0:24:46..and rejoin Environment Services Officer Stuart Thompson,
0:24:46 > 0:24:52who's still waiting for asbestos crook Mark Finch at Chelmsford Magistrates Court.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55And guess what... he still hasn't turned up.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58Is he actually coming today, do you know?
0:24:58 > 0:25:03You don't know. OK then. Thank you. Bye.
0:25:05 > 0:25:11OK, Mr Finch's phone was answered by a female who said he's not there.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13I said that I was at the court waiting for him
0:25:13 > 0:25:18and was he going to arrive, to which she said she didn't know.
0:25:18 > 0:25:24Stuart continues his determined effort to bring Mark Finch before magistrates
0:25:24 > 0:25:28and just a few days after failing to show up at court in Autumn 2011,
0:25:28 > 0:25:30police finally catch up with him.
0:25:30 > 0:25:33He pleaded guilty to both offences
0:25:33 > 0:25:39and he received final costs totalling £2,450.
0:25:39 > 0:25:43He asked to pay that in instalments and that was declined.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46A 14-day collection order was made on the money.
0:25:46 > 0:25:50It's fantastic to know that justice is being done here in Essex.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53And even though she's remained strong and resolute throughout,
0:25:53 > 0:25:56no-one is more pleased than Ruby.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58Well, that's learnt me one thing.
0:25:58 > 0:26:02I'd never give anybody a job off the doorstep again...
0:26:02 > 0:26:08without finding out exactly who they were, where they were from
0:26:08 > 0:26:10and if they had references.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16Well said, Ruby. Really good advice there.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19There's just enough time to tell you about Elaine Hopkins
0:26:19 > 0:26:24whose local Neighbourhood Watch team in Kent is really fighting back against doorstep crime.
0:26:24 > 0:26:29They have street signs to indicate Cold Calling Controlled Zones
0:26:29 > 0:26:32which have really cut down on unwanted visitors.
0:26:32 > 0:26:34She says that cowboy builders and rogue tradesmen
0:26:34 > 0:26:38seem to have got the message on their patch at least. Thanks Elaine,
0:26:38 > 0:26:41it sounds like you and your friends are doing a sterling job.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44We're here to fight back against doorstep criminals
0:26:44 > 0:26:49and we'd love to hear more about your stories as to how you've stopped them ripping you off.
0:26:49 > 0:26:55You can find the details about how to get in touch at...
0:26:55 > 0:26:58As always, thanks for watching and I hope you'll join us again next time.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd