Bogus callers spark security alert

In recent weeks several local pensioners have been victimised by individuals pretending to carry out repairs on their property or that they are council officials.

Cumbernauld Inspector Stevie Hazlett said: "We believe that only one in 10 incidents are reported. Bogus callers or workmen will often target people who live alone and have little contact with the outside world. These are the vulnerable people who we cannot always reach."

Many elderly or vulnerable people affected have no relatives or regular visitors to their home.

Bogus callers will often target large houses that have fallen into disrepair and, according to Inspector Hazlett, will even scour the death column in local newspapers to locate new widows.

He said: "These people have no other job, this is their profession. They are in organised criminal gangs who work together to target the elderly and vulnerable. These gangs share information between each other and will sell 'customers' on to other bogus callers."

Officers in Cumbernuald and Kilsyth are also keen to get the message across to the older community that being targeted by a bogus caller or workman is nothing to embarrassed about.

"We need these people to get in touch, and we also need residents with elderly or vulnerable neighbours, who could become a victim, to get in touch."

There is a range of options available to those who feel they may be at risk from bogus callers, including the Police's Nominated Neighbour scheme, where you can divert all callers to a neighbour who will check their identity.

For more information, or to report a crime, call Cumbernauld Police Office on 01236 503900 or Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555 111.