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Police warning as elderly resident falls victim to fraud

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Merseyside Police is appealing for the public to be extra vigilant after an elderly woman was victim of fraud at her home in St Helens.

At around 1pm on Wednesday, 24 February, the 94-year-old woman was at home in Brunswick Street, Parr when a man knocked on her front door claiming to work for the council. The man stated that he had been speaking to a neighbour about a tree at the back of the property, and would have to remove the tree at a cost of £360, or the woman would face a £3500 fine. After the tree was removed, the man made off in a lorry before the victim’s daughter made enquiries and confirmed that the man was not employed by the council.

The man is described as white, aged in his 40s, with short dark brown hair, a medium build and a local accent. He was wearing a navy blue fleece and navy blue bottoms. The lorry is described as blue, with trees on the back and wire mesh around to give the appearance of a cage.

St Helens Inspector Andy Johnston said: “This was a despicable offence against an elderly lady. It’s hard to believe that anyone will stoop so low as to try and defraud elderly people out of money for work that is not required.

“Offenders like this deliberately target the most vulnerable in our community in their own homes, a place where they have a right to feel safe and secure, and we are actively working to identify the person involved in this incident so they can be brought to justice.

“I would also appeal to people to keep an eye on any elderly and vulnerable neighbours and family members. If you notice anyone suspicious in the area, always call the Police or contact your local neighbourhood policing team for more advice.”

St Helens Council’s Cabinet Member for Green, Smart and Sustainable Borough, Councillor Seve Gomez-Aspron, said: “It’s awful to know that the vulnerable members of our community can be taken advantage of in this way, but it can happen to anyone. We urge residents to be mindful of people who may be posing as figures of authority and always ask for identification.

“In circumstances like this, there is a formal written process which our Grounds Maintenance team adheres to when removing trees from private properties, unless there is an obvious immediate risk to the highway from a hazardous tree. Council officers will never be forceful, and there are no fines that they would threaten.

“Residents can call Mike Roberts, our Trees and Woodland Officer on 01744 676221 for advice, or consult a qualified tree surgeon, of which there are a number on our Trader Register, at www.sthelens.gov.uk/traderregister.”

There are a number of steps everyone can take to help prevent this type of crime and they include:

Do not open your door if you are unsure who the caller is. Always make sure you know who visitors are by asking to see their identification. Never let people into your property if you don’t know them
Always keep the key chain on the door whilst talking to callers and always check their ID before letting them into your home. Genuine callers won’t mind you doing this. If callers haven’t got valid identification, don’t let them in
Bogus callers often pretend to be someone official, for example, from a utility company or the water board. They will also try to distract people by asking for a drink of water or if they can use the toilet. Remember “if in doubt, keep them out”
Remember to close and lock the back door before you answer the front door. It’s a good idea to have a viewer or spy hole and a stout chain fitted to all the external doors to the property
Don’t keep large quantities of cash at home. It’s better in the bank where it’s safe
If someone asks for your help (for example, if they want to make a telephone call or claim to have lost a ball in your garden) always ask a friend or neighbour, or someone else you trust, for help

Anyone with information which could help the police with their inquiries is asked to contact the non-emergency 101 number or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Further information about common scams and how to avoid them can be found at: www.sthelens.gov.uk/what-we-do/business-support-and-licensing/trading-standards/scams/

If you think you, or someone you know may have been scammed, you can also report it to Trading Standards through the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 03454 04 05 06 or online at www.adviceguide.org.uk.

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