An 87-year-old Inverness man fell victim to rogue traders who twice drove him to a cash machine so he could hand over money for work that was not needing done, it was revealed yesterday.
On the first occasion the pensioner handed over £50, but the next day it was £250 that he parted with to pay for scraping moss from his roof – a task a relative had already carried out for him.
It was only when his plucky granddaughter intervened and challenged the three men that they fled in their van.
The pensioner’s experience was yesterday highlighted by police at the Inverness launch of a Scotland-wide campaign to help beat doorstep crime.
The victim did not wish to be identified, but his granddaughter Claire yesterday went to the Highland police headquarters to help publicise the new campaign.
The 27-year-old said she had been making a regular visit to her grandfather’s house in Inverness and saw a stranger who claimed to be clearing moss from the roof.
Her grandfather then arrived at the house in a van with two other men, and there she learned that they had escorted him to an ATM at a nearby shop where he paid them £250. The day before he had given them £50.
Claire said alarm bells started ringing because she knew that her uncle had recently been round to remove moss from her grandfather’s roof.
Police have investigated the December 2012 incident and say a report has been made to the procurator fiscal.
Claire, who asked that her surname is not revealed, said: “My grandfather believed that the men were carrying out a job for him but their attitude changed completely when I spoke to them.
“What really concerned me was the fact they took him away from his house and someone was left waiting there.
“If you have any vulnerable relatives then you should let them know about this kind of activity.”
The campaign to beat doorstep crime involves a vulnerable person keeping a card near the door bearing the name of a “nominated neighbour” who must be contacted before the door is opened.
Of the 274 incidents reported across the Highlands and islands last year, more than 75% are linked to bogus workmen coming into the area offering to do work mainly relating to exterior home maintenance.
Superintendent Gus MacPherson said: “Doorstep crime can affect anyone within our local communities, but we are aware that in particular the over-60s can be targeted due to a perceived vulnerability.
“Those who commit such crimes are extremely convincing in how they approach and interact with potential victims.
“We know that there is a significant amount of under-reporting of this with individuals either not being aware that they have been subject to a crime, or feel too embarrassed to tell someone.”
Doorstep crime can also involve bogus callers who use distraction techniques to preoccupy a victim while an accomplice steals from their home. The new scheme launched yesterday extends a tactic begun in 2012 when posters were put up warning cold callers were unwelcome
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