Bogus caller incident – Bellesleyhill Avenue, Ayr
Officers are appealing for information and warning the public to be on their guard after a bogus caller incident in Ayr on Friday, 6 August.
Around 4pm on Friday, 6 August, a man attended unannounced at a house in Bellesleyhill Avenue and claimed to be from a roofing company. He convinced the 66-year woman that her roof needed repaired.
The suspect returned at 11.30am on Saturday, 7 August, in the company of another man and obtained a four-figure sum of cash for the work, however the men then left the area and have not returned to carry out the work.
The first suspect is described as white, around 5ft 6ins in height and wearing a high-vis top. The second man was white, around 6ft in height and of slim build.
They drove a white van with a black logo on the rear door and a white coloured saloon car.
The suspects were accompanied by a teenage boy, aged around 15 years who was wearing a grey-hooded top.
Detective Constable Gordon Thomson at Ayr Police Office said: “The people that carry out these type of crimes are shameless and we are eager to trace them as soon as possible.
“We are studying CCTV footage from the local area and working to identify those responsible for this crime. I would ask anyone with private CCTV of drivers with dash-cam to check in case they have captured any details that may assist us.
“I would urge anyone who may have seen them in the area on Friday or Saturday, or who has any information that will help us with this investigation to contact us on 101 with reference 2474 of 9 August. Alternatively Crimestoppers can be contacted on 0800 555 111, where anonymity can be maintained.
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 to 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 are in any doubt, ask them to come back at a later date or when someone else is home – genuine callers won’t mind rearranging.”
