Police and trading standards warn against ‘doorstep crime’

Orkney Islands Council’s trading standards department and local police are working together to tackle doorstep crime and bogus callers this week as part of a national campaign.

Doorstep crime includes the door-to-door sale of goods, or services, that are in breach of trade legislation.

As part the week-long campaign, which launches tomorrow, the public are being urged to report anyone suspicious and to look out for those in their community, such as the elderly, who may be particularly vulnerable to bogus callers.

The police and trading standards are also asking the public to consider taking part in the Nominated Neighbour scheme.

Speaking on Friday, police inspector Gordon Deans, said: “In the last few years there has been a steady turn-around of individuals, or families, coming up to Orkney and exploiting folk through a variety of different types of trade activity.

“This issue may sometimes not be seen as particularly serious, but the reality is that a lot of these groups are part of bigger, organised-crime groups and are often involved in other higher-level types of criminal activity.”

The police are asking the public to report any suspicious activity to Kirkwall police station, via telephone number 101, and to call 999 and ask for the police if they feel threatened or intimidated by doorstep callers.