DISTRACTION BURGLARY

CARE OF THE ELDERLY AND VULNERABLE

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More about Bogus Callers
  1. What is a distraction burglary?

A distraction burglary is a crime where an offender gains entry to a person’s home, with the intention of stealing, by pretending to be someone who would normally be allowed in. Typical bogus identities used include water, gas and electricity company personnel, council workers, police officers, door-to-door sales, repairmen or gardeners

These offences can also happen to people who are expecting their carers and either buzz people in without asking any questions or leave their doors unlocked

 Things you should know about the offenders

It is normal for distraction burglars to work in teams of between two and four people, although the victim may only see one of them

  1. Offenders will usually drive to the scene of an intended burglary but will park a short distance away, probably near a main traffic route
  2. Offenders will usually prepare in advance, for example by listening at the door or looking through the window of a potential victim’s home. One offender may then talk to the intended victim while others hide out of the way until he/she is allowed in. In some cases the offenders may have already made an earlier visit to the victim’s home, pretending to be a builder, gardener, or someone offering to do repairs
  3. When questioned closely about their identity, offenders will usually make their excuses and leave. It is very rare for violence to be used
  4. Offenders are known to travel long distances in any one day to commit their crimes

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 What care workers can do to help

 Keep a look out for potential victims during the course of your work

  1. Advise them not to keep large sums of money at home and to keep handbags out of sight
  2. Remind them to look out of a window or through a spyhole before they open the door to anyone. If they don’t recognise the caller they may prefer not to answer the door at all. Genuine callers will leave a note or card to say why they have called, or will telephone to arrange an appointment
  3. Encourage your clients to have a door chain fitted and to use it every time they answer the door. If you know someone who doesn’t have the means to get a chain fitted, refer them to the Community Safety Bureau at Chelmsley Wood police station on 0121 712 6088
  4. Help elderly or vulnerable people to fill in their utility company account details on a leaflet or sheet of paper which they can then keep by the door. If callers claim to be from one of the utility companies, they should be asked to give the householder’s account number. If they don’t know it, your client should REFUSE TO LET THEM IN AND DIAL 999 IMMEDIATELY
  5. Make sure your clients understand how important it is to ask for identification and to look at it carefully before they allow anyone in. Ideally, they should ask callers to put their identification details through the letterbox so they can be examined thoroughly. If they want to confirm a caller’s identity they should not use the telephone number given on the caller’s identification card but find the company’s telephone number in the directory

    6. If in doubt they should refuse to let the callers in and dial 999 immediately. Your clients should tell the police what is happening and that they are elderly, worried and need help

  6. Your clients should also take care when expecting visitors they have never met before. Remind them to find out what the visitors will be wearing, what car they are driving and what time they plan to arrive
  7. A helpful neighbour calling at an elderly person’s home will often cause the offenders to move on. While we do not advise members of the public to "have a go", offenders will often be deterred if they see a neighbour approaching

    8. The following points apply to any type of incident

  8. If a crime has been committed, tell the victim not to tidy up as this may disturb any evidence. Friends and neighbours who come in to offer their help may mean well, but should make sure they don’t contaminate the crime scene
  9. The victim should write down a description of the offender(s), along with details of any vehicles involved, as soon as possible. These details should then be handed to the police
  10. The risk of a burglary, distraction or otherwise, can be reduced by giving crime prevention advice to vulnerable people and their neighbours and also by installing safety features such as window locks, mortise locks to front and back doors, security lights and burglar alarms at their homes - If you know of someone who doesn’t have the means to make their home more secure, please refer them to the Community Safety Bureau at Chelmsley Wood police station on -

    11. 0121 712 6088

  11. If circumstances are obviously suspicious your clients should ring 999 and ask the police for help

REMEMBER

The police would rather receive a false call made with good intent than attend the scene of a burglary.

Emphasise to the people you care for that they should dial 999 immediately if they have any concerns about callers at the door.

 

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