Episode 4 Doorstep Crime 999

There's an issue you've told us, and it makes you angry.

The kind of people who do this to vulnerable, elderly people,

clearly have no remorse whatsoever.

It's a serious crime and it's getting worse.

In her words, they were so feasible.

Too often, it's our most vulnerable citizens who are targeted.

These are people that have worked all their lives, now retired.

They're entitled to enjoy their retirement.

We're talking about the kind of crime that can strike in our own homes.

Anything from burglaries, to cold calling conmen

or rip-off rogue traders, and we're determined to beat them.

I've been caught myself, unfortunately.

If someone knocks on my door, I literally just say no and slam the door.

I think doorstep crime is becoming much more common.

Well, it's time we stood up to these criminals.

We're not going to take this any more.

Thanks to award-winning police

and Trading Standards teams across the UK,

we've seen at first hand how it's possible to show door-stepping con artists the door.

And you haven't been shy about telling us what you think.

On today's programme, the outrageous gardeners in North Yorkshire

who cut down this man's trees without asking, and then bullied him into paying for it.

They said, "That will cost you £2,300,"

for what I guess was about 15 minutes' work.

Plus, how this son came to the aid of his dad

who was being pressured into paying thousands of pounds

for roofing repairs he didn't need.

Once they've got you in their grips, they can then...

just go on and on multiplying the price.

Best of all, we're out and about with the crack Bristol police team

working to support victims of doorstep crime.

The good news is last year we managed to cut the number of distraction burglaries in half.

Hello. I've seen many, many letters from you this week

about the dangers of doorstep crime.

For instance, Shane Mousley and Michael Joyce have been in touch.

They're just two of the many hundreds of local Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinators,

protecting their communities. By the way, thanks for getting in touch.

Even with these hard-working local groups,

there are still areas where criminals can strike.

We've been following police in Bristol who are helping local people fight back.

Despite it's beautiful landscape,

the southwest isn't immune from crime that takes place on the doorstep,

but over the past two years, Somerset and Avon Police

have seen a 60% reduction in offences committed

and, as acting inspector Ash Jones explains,

it's down to the work of not one, but two dedicated teams.

In the last couple of years there have been a number of innovations,

in particular the doorstep crime team,

which is quite a new partnership

between the police and Trading Standards, sharing their expertise,

and it certainly helps us target offenders very quickly and bring them to justice.

On the prevention and awareness side,

we have a brand new innovation in Avon and Somerset -

the Senior Citizen Liaison Team,

the first of its kind in the United Kingdom,

the only one of its kind, as far as we're aware, in Europe.

The Senior Citizen Liaison Team is managed by cops like PC Mike Wedlock,

who give up their own time to raise awareness of doorstep crime

and they provide support to those who have experienced it first-hand.

Today I'm coming to see Betty,

who I helped after she became the victim

of a bogus water board official who stole some cash.

I helped Betty to get a number of services instituted to make her less likely to become a victim of crime,

and now I'm coming to see if they're working.

I noticed that we did very well

to put the "Don't come knocking at my door" sticker that we gave you into the front.

-Do you find that's made a difference?

-Yes.

Yes, I haven't had anybody since that last chap

who said he was a policeman, and he wasn't, but I haven't had anybody since then, no.

Even though the Senior Citizen Liaison team is relatively new,

it's already had a huge impact on doorstep crime in and around Bristol.

Certainly in the last 12 months,

we've seen a 15% reduction in the number of recorded distraction burglaries within Bristol.

But I think, in reality, the best reward we get is the look of gratitude

in the eyes of the victims that we have the opportunity to assist.

Another person who benefited from the work of the team is 62-year-old Veronica Vines

after a chance encounter in her street led to a series of events which have changed her life.

I just went through my jewellery box,

and just tried to fish out anything that might be worth selling.

I haven't got vast amounts of it,

but I thought, "I've just got to do something"

because I didn't want them to keep knocking at my door.

So why was Veronica so traumatised?

What shocking doorstep crime made her part with her most precious possessions?

We'll find out a little later on in the programme,

but now another viewer video.

I'm David Dulake.

I had experience of rogue builders earlier in the year,

and I'm hoping that my experiences will be of benefit to people in the future.

Thanks, David, we'll certainly look into it.

First, a story which shows just how devious some criminals can be

when it comes to ripping off unsuspecting home-owners.

Fortunately, the crooks in this outrageous saga got their just desserts.

In North Yorkshire, there are around 1,800 cases of doorstep crime every year.

One person with first-hand experience of this is Kevin Wood from Scarborough.

In November 2010, he was settling down to sleep after his night shift

with the St John's Ambulance, when there was a knock at the door.

I went to answer it, there was a couple of gentlemen there

mentioning that they were doing local gardening work

and would I be interested in them doing any for me?

I told them that I'd just come off a nightshift,

I was ready for some sleep, but they were welcome to go in the back garden,

see what needed doing, and I'd be in touch.

The pair, who were later identified

as Frank Lowther and Steinie Wilson, certainly seemed plausible.

They were fine, chatting, no inclination of what was going to happen

or what the situation was going to develop into,

but that's how they probably work, really.

Build up a rapport, get you on their side,

and then wham, it hits you!

The problem with a lot of these offenders

and in particular this particular pair

is that they are very polite and very persuasive, and very professional.

Leaving the pair to make notes in the back garden,

Kevin settled down for a snooze but was woken by what sounded like a motorbike.

And then you twigged, that's not a motorbike.

Looked out and the trees, that had been there for as long as I can remember, had gone!

They'd just chain-sawed them down.

Without Kevin's permission, these so-called tree-surgeons

had actually chopped down two mature, healthy trees.

I went out to confront them.

They'd decided they needed felling because they were badly diseased,

and then they said, "That will cost you £2,300"

for what I would guess is about 15 minutes' work.

Absolutely disgusting.

Poor Kevin was faced with an extortionate bill for work he didn't even want done.

And the pair's mood changed

when they demanded the £2,300 was paid immediately.

From being nice lovey-dovey Mr Nice Guy

to someone you wouldn't wish to meet on a dark night on a dark corner in a dark alleyway,

it's just so instantaneously, you're thinking, woof! Scary!

They said, to make sure, that they would escort me down to the bank to withdraw it,

which business people do not do.

At the bank, Kevin told the pair he could only withdraw £750,

which they accepted before informing him they'd soon be back for the rest.

As the door-stepping deceivers drove away, Kevin quite rightly called the police.

A short time later, a couple of officers actually came round

to the house, took more details, more statements.

You thought that was it, but then reality kicks in.

It freaks you out, it freaked me out.

With the conmen gone for now,

Kevin had time to reflect on the day's events

and the loss of two much-loved trees which had been planted by his late parents.

It's something that still affects him today.

Looking at the photograph now, standing where we are,

the total transformation that occurred.

That two people can just destroy, they destroy your life as well.

It's like everything, you don't know how much you're going to miss it until it's gone.

Well, true to their word,

the door-stepping rogues returned to the house days later

to hassle poor Kevin for the rest of the £2,300.

Sensibly, he didn't answer the door,

but when Kevin drove to the police station to report the pair again, they followed him.

Sure enough, as he left the station,

Lowther and Wilson accosted Kevin and demanded the cash.

My heart just went through the floor.

It was them there in person and they weren't happy.

"I'd messed them around,

"they'd been back and forth at their own expense, blah blah blah,

"chasing me for the money that I owed them."

The conmen insisted that Kevin drive with them in convoy to the bank,

only this time he was able to call the police on the way.

This was the moment the tables turned on the rogue traders.

Police had already contacted Yorkshire Trading Standards

after the first complaint, and, with Kevin's help,

the team, led by Ruth Andrews, were ready to spring into action.

They denied the facts we'd been given were what happened

but ultimately we decided there was sufficient evidence to charge them

with aggressive practices offences under the consumer protection regulations.

Luckily, Ruth and the Trading Standards team had some invaluable evidence to go on.

In this particular case, we were able to obtain some CCTV footage

from cameras in the public car park

and that meant we could be confident in what he'd told us had happened,

and gather evidence to show their involvement,

and it was their vehicle that had followed him from the car park.

Frank Lowther and Steinie Wilson pleaded guilty

to engaging in aggressive trading practices

and they were sentenced to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work.

They also were each ordered to pay Kevin £375 in compensation.

Ultimately, the whole aim of these prosecution cases

is to not only send a message to these offenders but also to anybody else

that thinks this is a good way to behave because it isn't acceptable and it won't be tolerated.

Don't give up. Stand up to them.

I've done it, you can do it, just have faith in the system,

the police, the Trading Standards,

the Crown Prosecution, they're there to help you.

Still to come,

how a son leapt to the rescue when his dad was forced

to spend nearly three and a half thousand pounds

having his roof-repaired, and all he wanted was a gutter replacement.

They tried to convince me by handing me these two pieces of wood.

Now, earlier, we heard about those two teams in Bristol

run by Somerset and Avon Police.

In particular, the Senior Citizens Liaison team,

which supports people who have suffered doorstep crime.

People like Veronica Vines.

Bristol is tackling the doorstep crime problem head-on.

Today PC Mike Wedlock from the Senior Citizens Liaison Team

is out and about, checking up on victims and raising awareness

to stamp out doorstep crime in the area.

Over the past two years, the team have helped many people,

including 62-year-old Veronica who was approached by two rogue gardeners

as she returned home one afternoon in the autumn of 2010.

These two young gentleman were distributing leaflets

and asked me if I'd be interested in a quote.

I said, well, no because there was no way I'd be able to afford anything.

As acting Inspector Ash Jones explains,

these men were nothing more than opportunistic cold callers.

The two men who targeted Veronica, Thomas Sykes and James Ward,

were basically going door to door in the area,

looking for vulnerable people to offer gardening services for.

Even though these services weren't requested,

and in most cases weren't required by the residents.

But these rogues weren't giving up easily

and they were soon knocking on Veronica's front door.

I answered it and it was the two of them on the doorstep,

and they immediately said, "Oh, we've come to give you a quote."

I said, "Well I've already told you there's no way I'd be able

"to afford anything to be done at the moment."

But they were insistent.

One of them hopped over the back gate and he went and had a look,

and said, "Well, that would be £600

"and that would be to clear your rubbish away,

"cut your hedges and cut the grass."

But unfortunately that wasn't the last Veronica would see of these doorstep criminals,

because, despite clearly stating she did NOT require their services,

the following day Veronica got home to find Thomas Sykes and James Ward

carrying out the work regardless, and now they were seeking payment.

I said, "I've already told you I haven't got any money."

"Well, I'll call back tomorrow."

I said, "You shouldn't be here in the first place."

Veronica now wishes the police had become involved sooner,

because, in trying to deal with the rogues herself,

she soon discovered she was caught in their trap.

She gave them her telephone number.

This gave them an opportunity to badger her

and harass her to try and get more money out of her.

The simple message here is never give your telephone number

to anybody in these circumstances.

Veronica was now receiving numerous phone calls every day

from Sykes and Ward pressing her for payment so she took decisive action.

I just went through my jewellery box,

and found a few items I could sell, including my wedding ring.

I raised £150 on it.

I was gutted. That's the best word I can use.

I was gutted.

When I got back, as sure as eggs is eggs,

they were knocking on the door, and so I just handed it over to them.

Naively, Veronica thought this would put an end to their relentless badgering

but sadly it wasn't to be.

They eventually went away again,

but then I got another half a dozen phone calls that evening as well.

"Well, when can we come and get some more money?"

Isn't that simply disgraceful?

Avon and Somerset Police have been a great comfort to Veronica since then,

and we'll find out how a little later.

But first I'd like to share an email from Geoff Owen in Leicestershire with you,

warning us about a scam.

In his town they have a great local window cleaner,

who comes by every six weeks and then sends his lads to collect the payment.

But a local crook started going round, claiming to work for the window cleaner,

and you guessed it, he collected the money.

It just goes to show that it's always important to ask for some form of ID

before doing any kind of business on the doorstep.

By the way, thanks Geoff for that, and do keep sending in the emails.

Earlier we saw that video of David in South London,

who had such a tough time with rogue roofers.

Well, I went to meet him to find out how he fought back with the help of his son.

The snow in the harsh winter of 2010 caused a lot of damage,

as David Dulake knows all too well.

Heavy snow made his guttering fall down.

And, unfortunately, that was the cue for a group of opportunist rogues

to come knocking at his icy front door.

David, perhaps you would just explain what you were doing

-the day the, as we now know, the rogue trader came to call?

-Yes, certainly.

I went to the door, and lo and behold, this chap was standing there,

and said that he had seen the gutter hanging down the side of the house,

and would I be interested in him replacing it for me?

He showed me a leaflet that detailed it is a family business,

quoted a price of £960.

With a price agreed, the roofers returned the following day.

But before long they were pushing for more work.

He said, "While we're doing the back and side guttering,

"would you like the front guttering done as well?"

So I said, "I suppose I might as well while you're doing the job."

He then quoted another £960.

So that's now £1,920.

But these devious door-to-door roofers weren't done yet

and had one of the oldest tricks in the book ready to play on poor David.

They started the work and a few minutes later, I suppose,

they came down and showed me a piece of rotten wood,

and purporting to be one of the rotten rafters.

I said to him, "Well, I had a new roof put on a couple of years ago.

"It's a bit funny the rafters having been rotted." Anyway, I agreed.

And how much was he going to charge for that?

Stand by... £1,500!

Unbelievable.

Combined with the £1,920 for the two guttering jobs,

the total is now at a staggering £3,420.

David still has the pieces of wood that the gang used to try and deceive him.

Pretty rotten!

And did you accept that this might be part of your roof?

I didn't really accept it, no.

These conmen were as rotten as the wood they claimed to have found on David's roof,

but a chance visit by David's son Simon was about to turn the tables.

I wasn't sure what was going on,

but at that point I thought, "I'm just going to hang back and gauge

"what's going on as best I can do,"

and I thought, "I know that the Trading Standards office is about five minute walk away from here,"

so I had in my mind that what I need is the company name

so I can actually go up to them and say, "Have you heard of them?"

At this point, Simon did worry about his dad's state of health

and of course his finances,

but at the same time didn't want to delve too deeply into his dad's private financial affairs,

so, being suspicious, he decided to take matters into his own hands

and he went to the Trading Standards office, probably the best decision he could have made.

One of the gang members was known to us

from previous occasions where he was carrying out a similar type of scam,

and on that occasion we did in fact prosecute him.

But back at home, David had no idea that this company were in fact known conmen,

and had not only paid them, but incredibly had offered them even more work.

When they first came here, quoted, erm...

that I'd like the back porch replaced, that had also come down with the snow,

so I invited them back the following day to replace the porch.

Even though you were suspicious of the previous work?

-That's right.

-Why do you think you did that?

-I don't know, really!

I think I was a bit of a muggins in some respects to invite them back,

but there again that was a good thing.

It certainly was a good thing

because, when Trading Standards officer Rob Vale

discovered that known rogues were ripping off another helpless victim on his patch,

he just couldn't wait to get involved.

We knew they were going to come back the next day to finish the job

and be paid, and in cases like this it's important to be there when they do so we can confront them.

They said, "Well, if you'd like to keep the builders talking,

"we'll go and sit in the car until the police arrive."

And how are you feeling at that point about the whole issue, really?

Just mixed feelings.

I was so happy they had contacted the police

and the police were on their way,

and lo and behold the police arrived and interviewed them in the garage.

After inspecting the gang's handiwork,

Trading Standards officers discovered that the original joists were absolutely fine.

To make matters worse,

the guttering wasn't even attached to the drainpipe, making it completely useless.

But here comes the good part.

One of the gang members tried to take responsibility for himself

and said the other two weren't involved, but we knew they were involved

and we wanted to send out a message that, if you do work for somebody

who's fraudulent and you know it, then you'll be prosecuted.

All three men were convicted under the Fraud Act.

Two of them received suspended prison terms,

were very lucky in my view not to go to prison,

and all three were ordered to carry out community service.

For me, the highlight was the fact that the court ordered them

to pay back compensation to the victim,

and I understand that he's starting to get some money back now.

It shows that crime doesn't pay.

Although the compensation has been a comfort to David,

it's a triumph which is bittersweet.

When you look back on the whole episode,

what do you think about it? Do you think you were silly?

Do you feel embarrassed by it? How do you feel?

A bit silly, a bit embarrassed.

I'm sincerely grateful that they've been caught

and they're not going to inflict, hopefully, any more suffering on other people.

What advice would you give to others?

I know you're anxious this doesn't happen to anybody else.

You've just got to be aware of them right from the start

because, once they've got you in their grips,

they can then just go on and on multiplying the price.

David, I'm very sorry that you had to go through that.

On the other hand, it's a great warning to the rest of us.

Our thanks to David and Simon for sharing that story.

Of course, the very moment you suspect that a loved one is being targeted in that way,

one of the best methods of fighting back

is to raise the alarm and contact your local Trading Standards.

Now, the people of Bristol are lucky enough to have two police teams

working on their behalf to tackle doorstep crime.

Let's see how they're spreading the message and catch up with Veronica.

Over the past two years, Somerset and Avon Police

have seen a 60% reduction in doorstep crime thanks to two ground breaking teams.

Today PC Mike Wedlock from the Senior Citizen Liaison Team is doing his rounds.

Having satisfied himself that Betty is safe after her own experience of doorstep crime,

Mike's now off to give a talk, which will hopefully prevent others from a similar fate.

My name's PC Mike Wedlock,

I'm the local police officer

and, as many of you know, I also work on part of something

called the Senior Citizen Liaison Team, which is a team that looks to combat doorstep crime.

Talks like these are helping prevent residents in Somerset and Avon

from falling victim to doorstep crime,

just as poor Veronica Vines did.

She sold precious jewellery to pay off her tormentors,

but it's the help she's received from Mike's team that was the turning point

because, when Veronica's friends alerted the police about what was going on,

they set a trap for the two rogues.

Both men were brought to justice,

and they were eventually sentenced to community-based sentences.

With support from the team,

thankfully, Veronica has recovered from her ordeal.

Senior Citizens Liaison Team call round to see me

on a regular basis, and I'm so glad they were there.

Tough as the experience has been,

it's taught Veronica some very valuable lessons.

I certainly wouldn't repeat that process again.

I'd just tell people to be very wary, very wary indeed.

If you're not sure, ring the police.

Veronica's case is one of many success stories for the team,

and Ash Jones has got high hopes for the future.

It's no longer a type of offending which is just dealt with by typical officers,

now there are officers who are specialists

in dealing with this type of crime and in dealing with these type of victims.

And, when that's the case, we can only improve.

What crack teams in Bristol, so well done, everybody.

Now, before we go, Seamus Joyce from south-west London has sent me photographs of his front door.

He'd come back from a holiday with his family last year

to find that somebody had tried to break it down,

so good for him - he's replaced it with something more substantial.

Seamus also says he's keeping an eye out for both his elderly neighbours,

who can call his mobile number for help if they ever feel threatened.

I should imagine that's a very comforting arrangement.

Thanks, Seamus. Good one!

We're here to fight back against doorstep criminals

and we'd love to hear more about how you've stopped them ripping you off.

You can always find the details

about how to reach us at:

Thanks for watching and I hope you'll join us again next time.

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