Bogus Window Cleaner Warning
Thursday June 1, 2006
Police are urging residents to be on their guard following numerous reports of a bogus window cleaner.
A man knocked on numerous doors in the Woodmancote and Bishop's Cleeve areas on Tuesday (May 30) and demanded payment for work that had not been done.
None of the elderly residents had been asked if they wanted their windows cleaning and some say they felt intimidated into handing over cash.
The man is described as white, of slim build and in his sixties. He has greying hair, carries a bucket and cloth and is understood to use a bicycle to get around.
Urging people to contact police immediately if they are approached by the man, Crime Reduction Officer PC Damon Blandford advised: "Residents, particularly the elderly, should always use a door chain and look through a spy hole or a window to check who is calling on them. If the caller is not known then they should be asked to show their identitiy card. If residents are still not sure, they should ask the caller to come back later and in the meantime check their story. This should be done using a number from the telephone directory, not the number on the identity card."
Incidents should be reported to police on 0845 090 1234, or using the 999 number if the suspect is still believed to be within the immediate area.