Burleydam WI on security alert

The speaker at the September meeting of Burleydam WI set us all thinking about the way we approach the security of our homes.  Paul Urwin, who is the enforcement officer for Trading Standards at Cheshire East Council, was illustrating how easy it is to be a victim of ‘Doorstep Crime'.

He gave us three short films to show different aspects of people being conned into parting with money or being robbed of it. 

The first was a lady being cold called by itinerant builders who persuaded her that she needed work done to her guttering which would cost £40.  When it was completed they entered her house and demanded £200.  When she went to fetch the money from another room they followed her and saw where she kept it.  They then passed this information on to accomplices.  

The second instance was of a distraction robbery by a man saying he was from the ‘ Water Board‘. There is no such body now. 

The third showed a elderly gentleman being cold called by the same builders, but he kept control of the situation because he had a chain on the door and did not open the door to them

We all felt that we could have been those people in the films at some time. Paul urged us to buy nothing at the door, and to be aware of the scams that were happening daily.

The winners of the competition for a crime prevention tip were; 1st Jean Cornes; 2nd Margaret Hollins; 3rd Sarah Lunt.

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