Doorstep Crime Specialist Crime Division National Safer Communities Department Preventions

SCD Preventions – 2013 / 2014 Prioritising a national response to ‘Doorstep Crime’: keeping people safe and protecting vulnerable groups Increase community confidence Improve community safety Improve criminal justice process

What is Doorstep Crime? Bogus Worker Someone who offers to carry out work at inflated prices, often not completing the work, or completed to poor standard. Bogus Official Someone who claims to be from a utility or other company in order to gain access and steal money or items of value Bogus Representative Someone who claims to be from an organisation Such as a charity or bank, with the aim of inducing money or gaining bank details Bogus Impersonator Someone who claims to be a recognised professional, Such as a social worker or Police Officer to gain access for financial or other gain

Why?

Victim Profile Perceived Vulnerability Age (70+) Female Often live alone Operation Liberal noting increase in disabled victims (England & Wales) Doorstep Crime – What we Know Under-reporting Embarrassment Fear (Repeat Victimisation) Not realising they have been subject to a crime or offence Perceived lack of confidence in services Related Figures OFT: 15,000 ‘bogus trading’ cases reported each year Average payment made to ‘bogus traders’ is set at £2,000 Goods & Services sold via doorstep is reported to be at least £2.4 billion

Doorstep Crime – The Future 352,000 women will be living alone 110,000 people will have been diagnosed with dementia Those aged over 75 years will have increased by 82% 65+ will have increased from 850,000 to 1.3m 168,000 men will be living alone By 2035…

2 years and 8 months after the initial crime, victims are 2.4 times more likely to have died or be in residential care. Home Office, Distraction Thefts

Types of Doorstep Criminals Opportunistic & Organised Domestic & Incoming (Predominantly England or Northern Ireland) are formed around family links, through several generations, with a fluid hierarchy. Incoming OCGs tend to travel around Scotland, unlike most domestic groups “Seasonal Migration”

How are victims identified -Proximity to major Arterial Roads -High population of older residents -Outward appearance of house -Vulnerable individuals may be followed home -Cold calling used to ‘canvass’ area -Personal details sold / transferred between groups Markings identified in England (2009), which have been used to identify ‘vulnerable’ or otherwise individuals.

Police Scotland’s Response ‘Operation Monarda’, Police Scotland’s national response to Doorstep Crime, was created for launch in September 2013 and asked all 14 divisions to work on areas of: -Prevention -Intelligence -Enforcement -Reassurance Operation Monarda was derived from best practice, where positive evaluation was given by the Scottish Community Safety Network and the Scottish Government.

Operation Monarda – National Media A campaign was launched to raise awareness of the crime and advise people on how to protect themselves from doorstep con artists. 1. Police Scotland Highland and Islands Division are taking part in a national awareness raising campaign against bogus callers to reduce victims of doorstep crime.

Advice to Communities

Op Monarda II – 7th – 18 th April 2014 Operation Monarda took place for the second time in Police Scotland’s history, from the 7 th – 18 th April 2014 This has stemmed from a recent problem profile that was created at the request of Assistant Chief Constable Ruaraidh Nicolson, and comes into line with a UK wide operation guided by ACPO As such, Police Scotland liaised nationally with Operation Liberal (Intelligence hub for England, Wales & Northern Ireland), ensuring a cross-border approach is maintained

Care & Repair Scotland What has been your experience of Doorstep Crime (Rogue Trading) through Care & Repair Scotland? How can Care & Repair Scotland further help to protect people in our communities and prevent this crime type?

Jamie Toal National Safer Communities Preventions Department Specialist Crime Division 5 Fettes Avenue Edinburgh