Police issue warning over rising doorstep crime

Scammers are mainly focusing on the roofing and building trade, said police

Doorstep scammers are targeting elderly and vulnerable residents, Surrey Police have warned.

The force said it had seen an increase in incidents of doorstep crime, partly due to recent storms.

It explained that rogue traders had exploited the bad weather to cold-call residents and offer to undertake often unnecessary work on their homes, which was then carried out at a low standard or inflated cost - if at all.

The force said it had received 155 reports from vulnerable victims in Surrey and Sussex over the last three months, with a total recorded loss of £980,640.

'No need to feel embarrassed'

Woking Police sergeant Ryan Scott said people "generally" being targeted were elderly women who lived alone in "well-off" areas.

He said the crime had a "massive emotional and mental impact" on victims - at times, causing them to lose trust in the community - as well as the financial cost.

"Unfortunately, we have had some victims pass away, possibly through stress, a couple of weeks after these incidents," Mr Scott added.

He suggested offences were likely to be underreported to police as victims felt embarrassed.

Recent bad weather has damaged roofs across South East England

Surrey Police described how one elderly resident in Sussex was cold-called at their home by rogue traders.

They agreed to fix a single loose roof tile but claimed more work needed doing and tried to charge 10 times the original price after only 30 minutes of extra work.

Despite feeling under pressure and intimidated, the would-be victim refused to pay and contacted officers instead, according to the force.

Mr Scott urged anyone who felt they had been the victim of doorstop crime to contact the police or trading standards.

"It's so prevalent," he said. "The way these people work is they are so convincing. They will confuse you and convince you. There's no need to feel embarrassed at all."