WARNING – NOTTINGHAM KNOCKERS – RIGHT ACROSS RBWM
We have received reports of young people, going door to door selling household products, right across the Borough.
The only items that can be legally be sold door to door, are books and food.
For anything else, the seller needs a ‘Pedlars Certificate’. A small 4’’ X 5’’ white document – headed Pedlars Certificate.
These can be obtained from any police station and are valid anywhere in the country. When an application is made, the police carry out a background check on the applicant – as they can only be issued to ‘persons of good character’. If the background check reveals arrests and a prison sentence – it will not be issued.
If one of these vendors rings your doorbell and says they are just out of prison and are part of a rehabilitation programme – you know immediately, they do not have a Pedlars Certificate.
To get around this – the vendor will often produce if questioned, a large yellow document, headed ‘Hawkers Licence’. No such document exists. It is something they have created and printed out. It has no validity in law.
Traditionally, this was a way of scammers and offenders locating elderly, vulnerable residents who are gullible and easily parted from their money. The vendors themselves, do not commit the further crimes, they just locate and provide addresses and descriptions, which are then sold on to other offenders as ‘Suckers Lists.
At the moment, out RBWM Trading Standards department has copies of these lists – with over 200 names and addresses on them. They, through their ‘Scambuster Team’, are visiting each person on those lists, to explain that they may be the victim of further scams / frauds, be remain alert and be on their guard.
You do not want to get onto those lists.
Traditionally, the vendors ask for cash – notes – to see how long it took the resident to get the money and then the condition of the notes. Clean, flat, crisp, musty smelling notes, meant they came from a stash in the house. Now that we have the new plastic notes that is not possible, so the scam has been updated. The vendors now have wireless, debit card, hand held contactless devices. They pump in the price of the products purchased and ask the resident to enter their PIN number. Then …… they apparently have difficulty obtaining a connection and walk around trying to get a signal. While doing this – a slight of hand – they change the amount entered. In one case last year it was increased from £15 to £500. The resident only finds out weeks later – if and when they check their bank statement.
If you get one of these people at your door, we suggest you use the same phrase, as everyone else in the Thames Valley – the repetition, sends a signal to them, that there are no easy targets in that community and hopefully they will move on, to pastures new:
I AM SORRY – I DO NOT BUY GOODS AND SERVICES AT THE DOOR. THANK YOU.
Then firmly, but politely, close and lock the door.
Often this results in minor verbal abuse, but you will be safely inside.
NO OTHER CONVERSATION PLEASE – DO NOT BE DRAWN.
They are trained to obtain information from you about neighbours. We are a very polite society and generally answer any questions, we are asked:-
‘I tried the house over the road with the expensive car on the driveway, but no-one answered the door’ ?
‘No’ you may respond ‘they are on holiday in the Caribbean for the next 6 weeks’ or ‘No – they work in the X and never get home before 9 p.m.’ !!!
DON’T DO IT – DON’T LET IT BE YOU
NEXT:- Yesterday ‘The One Borough Group’ met. This is a meeting of all the voluntary groups working in RBWM, doing brilliant work, to support local residents. It covers everything from loneliness, food parcels, young people’s groups etc. etc. etc.
During the Covid pandemic we meet in Zoom and the meeting is broadcast for everyone to see on YouTube. You can watch the entire meeting, by following this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buZw-7MiJR8You will find it really interesting and actually see and hear, the people representing those groups. If you see anything of interest to you, or a group you represent, just let me know and I can put you in touch.
DAVID SCOTT from RBWM pointed everyone in the direction of a really useful Covid 19 website:
https://www.berkshirepublichealth.co.uk/covid-19-dashboardIt contains general advice as well as detailed statistical data – simply put in your postcode, or move around the site and highlight RBWM for more detail
ANNA FALLGREN, Library Supervisor, Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, works with a database of over 2,000 local residents, who are isolated, vulnerable and alone. She arranges for her team of volunteers to make contact with them, and raise their spirits. She is happy to take more referrals !
This is a link to the page where you can find out about the Help Line for residents who need to self-isolate due to the Covid-19 virus:
https://www.rbwm.gov.uk/home/adult-social-care/community-response/self-isolating-and-where-get-helpMaidenhead Library, St Ives Road, Maidenhead, SL6 1QU
Follow us on Twitter: @RBWM_Libraries
Like RBWM Libraries on Facebook
Follow us on Instagram and YouTube
https://www.rbwm.gov.uk/home/leisure-and-culture/librariesELAINE KEATING:- from ACHIEVING FOR CHILDREN - gave an update from the RBWM Girls Policy Forum – these re young students in RBWM, feeding into policy decisions.
They have made a video, to support their work, which has been placed on YouTube – it deserves a few minutes of your time, to look at what they – and I mean they – have produced:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NjWqG15sH4The dates of future meetings are as follows (all 11am): · Tuesday 16th March 2021 · Tuesday 22nd June 2021 · Tuesday 14th September 2021 · Tuesday 7th December 2021
CRIME
I have attached reference numbers to each crime report. If you live in the vicinity of any of the crimes mentioned and have CCTV or a video doorbell, can you please check the footage. If you have any that might be of interest to the police, can you please make contact with us, quoting reference number given.
I have added a new email address below. The first email address is directly to your local Neighbourhood Team. The second is to our investigation team. Please use it to send any intelligence / video doorbell / CCTV footage you may have, which is relevant to any of the crimes lists below - quoting the reference number.
Alternatively you can call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or email -
www.crimestoppers-uk.orgMAIDENHEAD CENTRAL:
maidenheadcentralgeographical@thamesvalley.pnn.police.ukSR.windsor&
maidenhead@thamesvalley.pnn.police.ukNO CRIME TO REPORT.
RIVERSIDE & BELMONT:
NO CRIME TO REPORT.
MAIDENHEAD WEST
maidenheadwestgeographical@thamesvalley.pnn.police.ukSR.windsor&
maidenhead@thamesvalley.pnn.police.ukBISHAM, COOKHAM, HURLEY, THE WALTHAMS, LITTLEWICK GREEN & KNOWL HILL:
7/12 – 8/12 Monday 11.30 a.m. / Tuesday 1.30 a.m. Warren Row Road, Warren Row. Farm workshop broken into – not yet known if anything stolen. Ref. No: 43200413823
PINKNEYS GREEN & FURZE PLATT:
NO CRIME TO REPORT.
MAIDENHEAD SOUTH
maidenheadsouthgeographical@thamesvalley.pnn.police.ukSR.windsor&
maidenhead@thamesvalley.pnn.police.ukBOYN HILL, COX GREEN & WOODLANDS PARK:
7/12 Monday 9 a.m. / 4 p.m. Windsor Road. Attempted burglary. The owners returned to find marks around a bathroom window frame – no entry gained. The offenders then walked around the property to the rear and forced a conservatory door. Internal doors to the house were locked – so no entry gained and nothing stolen. Ref. No: 43200413362
7/12 Monday 7.10 p.m. Shirley Road.. The owner of a van was working nearby and left it unlocked. When he got back, his driving licence, phone and bank cards had been stolen. Ref. No: 43200413499
OLDFIELD, BRAY & HOLYPORT:
NO CRIME TO REPORT.
