Beware the ‘water board’ man

Doorstep crime watchdogs in Wigan are urging residents to be on their guard following a spate of distraction burglaries in the borough.

The Wigan and Leigh Bogus Caller Group says it has received reports of four bogus official burglaries in the past week. In each case the con-merchants have targeted older and often vulnerable people by passing themselves off as workers from the ‘water board’.

In incidents in Lowton and Ince older female residents aged 83 and 90 answered the door to a man claiming to from the water board. In both cases the man has gone into the house to ‘check the pipes’. As the caller kept the homeowner occupied in the kitchen a second man has crept upstairs to rifle through belongings and steal jewellery.

Both men wore jeans and t-shirts and drove a white Transit/Peugeot Boxer-type van.

Wigan Council’s Trading Standards is a key member of the Bogus Caller Group. Chief Trading Standards Officer Julie Middlehurst says:

“Distraction burglaries where the culprit claims to be from the water board are the most frequent type of doorstep crime we deal with. On average we get an incident like this once a month but we are particularly concerned that we have had four in one week.

“The first thing to say is that you should immediately become suspicious if some calls at your house claiming to be from the ‘water board’ because there is no such thing. If the caller is genuine then they will say they are from United Utilities.”

Julie adds: “The second thing to say is that no genuine official would need to go upstairs in your home.”

But the key message from Trading Standards to all residents is – if you have any doubts at all, don’t let them in.

“Companies like United Utilities usually inform you in advance that they are coming to call,” says Julie. “They also operate a password system so you can check they are genuine when they arrive. Genuine callers will carry ID and will not mind you checking it with their head office before letting them in. Remember to use a number out of the phone book, not one that might be on the card they give you.”

The advice from Trading Standards is to always keep your chain on when answering the door:

• talk to people through the door, rather than opening it when they knock.
• ask who they are before opening the door, then keep the door on the chain until you've seen their identification.
• make sure your back door is closed and locked before answering your front door - thieves have been known to work in pairs, with one entering through the back while the other knocks on the front door.

Julie adds: “These criminal target older, vulnerable people and they know exactly what they are looking for so we’d urge everyone to be careful. If you have any doubts at all about someone at your door do not let them in and call the police.” 

• For advice on doorstep crime and other consumer issues call Consumer Direct on 08454 040506 (calls charged at local rates). 
• United Utilities customers can register their own unique password with the company by calling 0845 746 1100.
• The Wigan and Leigh Bogus Callers Group is made up of Wigan Council, the police and other agencies. The group operates an ‘early warning’ system meaning that any reports of doorstep crime are circulated quickly by e-mail. In this way the word can quickly be spread to those most at risk to warn them of the danger. Anyone who wants to receive these early warnings can e-mail Wigan Council’s Trading Standards team at: ts@wigan.gov.uk