Shropshire Council joins national crackdown on rogue traders

Operation Rogue Trader

Shropshire Council’s trading standards team has joined forces with West Mercia Police to target rogue traders and pushy doorstep sellers as part of a UK wide campaign, culminating in a day of action yesterday (Wednesday 19 October 2011).

The day of action, Operation Rogue Trader, has formed part of a week of activities led by trading standards and the police.  The campaign has seen trading standards officers, police officers and members of Government agencies working together across the country to crack down on rogue traders and highlight the dangers of consenting to have work carried out by cold callers.

In Shropshire patrol teams, involving both trading standards and the police, have been on the lookout for offenders and taking action where necessary.  So far this week, officers on patrol have:

• Talked to 38 legitimate traders who have expressed their positive support for the work that the patrols are doing to protect their businesses, and 18 members of the public who were grateful for the reassurance that the checks are being made.

• Undertaken 40 police national computer checks on static and moving vehicles.

• Meanwhile, nine specific lines of intelligence, two of which relate to known rogue traders who have operated in Shropshire in the recent past, are being followed up to help combat rogue trader activity in the future

• Traders and consumers are being encouraged to be vigilant for suspicious activity.

The campaign is being run by Operation Liberal, the national police distraction burglary intelligence unit, and trading standards.  Rogue trading is a growing trend nationally and evidence suggests that a number of distraction burglars have contact with each other and are associated with rogue traders.

Councillor Steve Charmley, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for trading standards said:

“Tackling rogue traders is a priority for our trading standards team; unscrupulous rogues and distraction burglars can have a devastating impact on people’s lives, and their activities are often linked to a vast network of crime.

“Partnership working is an integral part of tackling the scourge of rogue traders – work that is carried out relentlessly by numerous agencies throughout the year.  Initiatives like Operation Rogue Trader and National Rogue Traders Week provide an important opportunity to raise awareness and to empower consumers to say no to cold callers.”

Shropshire Council’s trading standards manager, Frances Darling, said:

“Rogue traders ruin people’s lives.  They often prey on vulnerable people including the elderly and infirm, scamming them into buying products and services which they do not want or need.  By working in partnership with other agencies, particularly with our West Mercia Police colleagues, we are sending out a strong message that these crimes will not be tolerated.

“It is not illegal for traders to sell at the door and legitimate callers will not mind if you shut and lock the door while you verify that they are genuine.  Rogue traders often offer gardening work or maintenance services at attractive rates initially, but the quality of work turns out to be sub-standard, unnecessary or overpriced.  They often use persuasive sales techniques to convince people to make hasty decisions.  We would urge people to be vigilant, and would encourage anyone who would like advice or is aware of any kind of rogue trading to contact Consumer Direct.”

Detective Chief Inspector Alan Edwards, the head of Shropshire CID, said:

“The partnership work with Shropshire trading standards over the past week demonstrates our commitment to tackling this scourge.

“Rogue traders are brazen, persuasive and unscrupulous people who pretend to be legitimate builders or gardeners. They prey on the elderly and vulnerable, conning people into paying high prices for low quality work.”

He said this week’s extra work carried out by teams of trading standards and police officers in the Shrewsbury, Market Drayton, Wem and Bridgnorth areas had sent out a clear message that rogue traders would continue to be a prime target for the enforcement agencies.  It had also provided reassurance to genuine tradespeople.

“We have highlighted our work during National Rogue Traders Week but it doesn’t stop there.  We are working together on this issue the year round.”

DCI Edwards said the authorities needed the support of the public – from householders in not accepting work from doorstep callers, to people notifying the police if their suspicions were raised.

“My advice is quite clear.  If you need maintenance work doing on your home or garden, contact a local business and get a quote.  That way you should pay a fair price for work which should be well done, and when the tradesperson calls at the agreed time, you know they are genuine.”

He added:

“If you see anything suspicious or suspect a rogue trader is at your door, call the police immediately on 0300 333 3000.”

Nationally last year’s Operation Rogue Trader saw nearly 300 people arrested, £140,000 worth of property recovered and nearly 9,000 vehicles inspected.  A total of 15,585 items of property were recovered and 2,116 traders were stopped and checked.  Last year, Consumer Direct received more than 6,000 complaints about uninvited traders in the Midlands alone.

People should report cases of rogue traders or uninvited doorstep callers to Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06.  Anyone with information that would lead to the arrest of any distraction burglar or rogue trader should call the police, or Crimestoppers, the national charity, anonymously on 0800 555 111.  Always dial 999 in an emergency.