Police urge people in the Kingswood area to be on the alert for bogus callers

Police are warning people in the Kingswood area to beware of bogus callers. 

There have been a number of reported distraction burglaries recently where criminals have got into people's homes by pretending to be from a water company, or using children to distract the homeowner by claiming they've lost a ball in their garden.

In the last month in Warmley and also in Easton, people had money stolen from their homes after answering the door to a young person who said they had lost their ball in the victim's garden. While the victim was distracted, a second person sneaked in and stole property. 

There have also been offences reported to police across the Avon & Somerset force area where bogus water board and fake Dyno-Rod officials have tricked their way into homes before stealing cash, purses and wallets. 

Superintendent Trevor Margenout, who leads Avon and Somerset's fight against doorstep criminals, said: "Offenders have been knocking on doors, unfortunately targeting elderly and more vulnerable people, and claiming they are fixing water leaks and burst pipes in the road.

"A common theme in these offences is that victims are being told either that there has been an explosion nearby and the water needs to be turned off, or that there is blue dye in the water, and they need the victim to run the kitchen taps to check the system.

"If someone knocks on your door and you hear these things, alarm bells should start ringing. 

"There is no longer a water board – it is a term used only by bogus callers. Water companies also never put dye into the water. 

"Since the formation of the Bristol Doorstep Crime Team and Avon & Somerset's work to tackle doorstep crime with the national Operation Liberal, we have reduced distraction burglaries and rogue trading offences by more than 50 per cent across the force. 

"In turn there has been a substantial increase in the number of crimes being detected, with more offenders being identified and locked up than ever before.

"We want to further drive down these offences and warn people of what to look out for so that we stop people from becoming victims in the first place.

"Be wary of unknown, unscheduled callers – just because they have a plastic ID card and a boiler suit it does not make them genuine. A genuine official will understand and will happily make a future appointment or provide credentials to confirm their identity."

If you believe you have seen or been visited by these offenders, you are urged to report it to the police on the non-emergency number 101.