Warning and appeal following bogus callers in Whitburn

Police in West Lothian are reminding local communities to be vigilant after an elderly man was a victim of bogus callers in the Whitburn area.

Around 9am on Tuesday, 4 August, two men attended a property in Whitburn unannounced, claiming to be carrying out work for a neighbour. They convinced the 85-year-old victim to hand over a four-figure sum of cash in relation to scaffolding they needed to erect. The men then left the area and did not return.

Officers have spoken to neighbouring properties who advised no work was being carried out in the area by these men, or anyone connected to them.

The two male suspects are described as:
1) Short (just over 5 ft), in his early 40s, of slim build with black hair. He was smartly dressed
2) Around 6 ft tall, black hair, unshaven and looked unkempt

They drove a long, grey car (possibly an estate-style) with ladders on top attached to a roof rack.

Detective Sergeant Peter Baxter, of Livingston Police Station, said: "It's disappointing that these incidents continue to take place and it saddens us that vulnerable people fall prey to these types of scams.

"I’m appealing to anyone who may have been approached by these men at your property. If you have any CCTV of dashcam footage, please let police know, quoting incident number 1350 of 4 August.

“We want to make sure that the people in our communities are kept safe and informed and I would urge you to speak to elderly or vulnerable family and friends to advise them of bogus caller incidents like this one and reduce the likelihood of them becoming a victim.

“There are simple steps you can take avoid this type of crime; for example, don’t let callers into your house unless they have an appointment and have confirmed they’re genuine traders. If you’re in any doubt, ask them to come back at a later date or when someone else is home - genuine callers won’t mind rearranging.”