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Officers are appealing for information after an elderly woman became the victim of rogue traders in Basingstoke on Wednesday, August 1.
At around 1pm the 78-year-old victim was at home at an address on Abbey Road, Popley, Basingstoke when two men knocked at her door. The men told the woman that she needed her guttering cleaned out and they offered to do it for £75. The woman agreed and the men began the work. After working on the guttering for a short time the men went back to the woman and told her that the guttering was defective and needed replacing. They offered to do the work for £460 and the woman agreed. The men then began to dismantle the guttering and placed it in the back of their white van. After they finished dismantling the guttering one of the men was escorted through the address by the victim to check the guttering at the back of the house. The men then left and said they would return the following day. Later that day the victim noticed that £75 in cash was missing from her house. The following day the men returned to the address and told the victim that they had under estimated the cost of the repairs and said that it would now cost £600. The victim agreed to give the men £460 in advance and the remainder when the work was done. The men then left to collect the new guttering but did not return. Officers have descriptions of the two men they would like to speak to. The first man is described as: - White
- Aged 20 to 35
- Brown hair
- Average height
- Average build
- Wearing a blue and white checked shirt
The second man is described as: - White
- Aged 20 to 35
- Average build
- Fair hair
- Wearing a white t-shirt
PC Will Butcher said: “Doorstep criminals often deliberately target elderly or vulnerable people. This type of crime, committed on people who are sometimes less able to protect themselves, is particularly despicable. “I am aware that these men called at a number of homes in the area offering to do work. I am keen to hear from anyone who received a call from these men or anyone who can assist in identifying them.” Anyone with any information regarding this incident should contact PC Butcher in the Priority Crime Unit at Basingstoke police station on 0845 045 45 45 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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