Residents are reminded to be vigilant against doorstep fraudsters
The reminder follows a report a Tunbridge Wells pensioner was targeted by a man seeking to complete unnecessary roof repairs for cash.
On Thursday 17 June 2021, a man is alleged to have visited a house in the town centre without a prior arrangement and advised the occupier that their roof needed replacing at a cost of £14,000.
The householder, a man in his 60s, was then driven to his bank by the man where he tried to withdraw a quantity of cash to pay for the repairs.
Suspicions
Staff at the bank became suspicious and, after the police were called, a 54-year-old man from the Tunbridge Wells area was arrested on suspicion of fraud. He was later bailed to return to the police station on 12 July, pending further investigation.
Detective Sergeant Marc Cananur, of the Serious Economic Crime Unit said:
'We are investigating the circumstances of this incident but I would like to take the opportunity to urge all residents to be cautious about who they allow to complete work at their homes.
‘Care should be taken when approached by unexpected callers offering to do repairs or other work for cash, and I recommend you consider getting quotes from a number of reputable firms in the first instance.
‘Don’t be afraid to ask tradespeople for identification and if you have any doubts, ask them to leave and come back at a time when you can have a friend or relative with you.
‘Whilst we work with partner agencies to protect the most vulnerable in our community, I would encourage people to look out for one another and report anything suspicious straight away by calling 101 or dialling 999 if a crime is taking place.’
