Warning after bogus workmen incident in Perth
Two men cold-called at an address in the Oakbank area last Thursday, offering to carry out roof repairs.
Two men cold-called at an address in the Oakbank area last Thursday, offering to carry out roof repairs.
An elderly Perth couple have been scammed out of what police say is a substantial sum following a bogus workman incident.
Two men called at an address in the Oakbank area last Thursday afternoon, offering to carry out roof repairs, they were joined by a third man but didn’t do any work and made off with a four-figure sum.
Now detectives in the city are urging residents to be vigilant and report anything suspicious.
A spokeswoman for Police Scotland: “They entered the property and accessed the roof space, fraudulently claiming that thousands of pounds worth of repairs were needed.
“A third man also attended at the address as part of the scam and a substantial amount of money for the repairs was given to him. All three men left the property without carrying out any work and did not return.”
One of the men is described as being 25-35-years-old, about 5 feet 8 inches tall, with ginger/brown facial hair and was wearing a brown-coloured beanie hat, brown jacket and dark jeans.
The second is described as being between 30 and 35-years-old, about five feet 10 inches tall, wearing a black wool jersey, black trousers and trainers.
The third man is described as wearing black clothing and a grey baseball cap.
The spokeswoman added: “Bogus workmen take advantage of the trust and goodwill of householders and invariably target older or more vulnerable members of our communities.
“Criminals of this type often operate in small teams of two or three. Be suspicious of anyone cold calling at your door offering to do work, or to fix a problem you have no prior knowledge of. Do not hand over cash to uninvited cold callers who offer to carry out work. If you are told repairs are needed, seek a second opinion from a reputable company.
“Residents should always be on their guard against this type of crime, especially if they have older or vulnerable neighbours. Look out for one another.”