Following last week’s warning to members of the public following a rogue trader incident in Over Wallop, officers have now issued an efit of one of the men they would like to speak to.
The incident occurred between midday and 1pm on Thursday, June 19 at an address on Salisbury Lane.
Two men approached the home of an 89-year-old man and persuaded him to pay for unnecessary gardening work.
They initially asked for £550 to cut his garden hedge and suggested he visited his bank to withdraw the money.
The men were pushy and one of them began to cut the hedge without permission. The victim then paid them £150 but they left having carried out minimal work.
The first man is described as:
- White man
- About 30-years-old
- 5ft 8 tall
- Medium build
- Untidy short brown hair
The second suspect is described as:
- White man
- About 30-years-old
- Stout build
- Short brown hair
- Clean shaven.
PC Andrew White from Andover police station said: “I would like to speak to anyone who can identify the man pictured in the efit image or who may have seen the men in the area. It is believed they were travelling in a Ford Transit drop sided van and may have approached other residents.”
“Please remember to ask anyone who knocks on your door for identification and if you are thinking about having any work done follow these tips“:
- Ask friends or relatives to recommend tradesmen
- Ask for a written quote
- Shop around before making a decision
- Don’t pay upfront and pay by cheque or credit card
- Keep an eye out for any elderly relatives or neighbours.
If you have any concerns about rogue traders, please contact your local Safer Neighbourhoods team by calling 101 or calling Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.