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Police target cold-callers in Sussex


Speakers are being fitted in homes to warn people not to open the front door to cold-callers.

The devices are switched on by movement when householders are about to open their doors and play a recorded message warning them of the risks of rogue traders.

Police hope the scheme will help prevent vulnerable people such as dementia sufferers and the very elderly being duped into parting with their cash to unscrupulous criminals.

The sensors which are given out only where police think they are most needed play a voice message of up to 20 seconds, which can be activated either by movement or by connection to a doorbell.

They are part of Sussex Police's Operation Rogue Trader.

Officers in Brighton and Hove are carrying out a series of patrols to prevent illegal traders and distraction burglars.

Police and trading standards look for vans and trucks used by rogue traders, who tout for building or gardening jobs before overcharging for poor-quality, unnecessary or non-existent work.

Sergeant Chris Lane said: "These people rely on the use of the roads. The longer we go on doing this hopefully the more of a difference we can make."

Inspector Andy Fleming said: "Rogue traders prey on vulnerable people in our communities by either vastly overcharging them for work done or supposedly done or carrying out work which is substandard and at times dangerous."

Comments(15)

Lunchtime O'Booze says...
2:21pm Sun 29 Aug 10

...Really.....What a great....'Initiative
' I love the quote "These people rely on the use of roads' BRILLIANT! Tape recordings for 20 seconds before you open the door!....If you need a tape recorder remind you not to open the door, you are already beyond help.

MikeyA says...
3:18pm Sun 29 Aug 10

Lunchtime O'Booze wrote:
...Really.....What a great....'Initiative

' I love the quote "These people rely on the use of roads' BRILLIANT! Tape recordings for 20 seconds before you open the door!....If you need a tape recorder remind you not to open the door, you are already beyond help.
Now we know why the Romans built so many...so 'con artists' could travel the length and breadth of the Empire!

Betty Blue says...
3:36pm Sun 29 Aug 10

The worst people for cold-calling are the fund-raisers who will not take no for an answer. I think this month I have had Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace and a mental ill one. These people are paid £8.50 an hour. How can charities make any money if their staff get that amount of money.
Also beware, there are 2 or 3 Romanian gypsies knocking on doors sell "gold and silver rings" DO NOT ANSWER THE DOOR TO THEM. CALL THE POLICE.

Morpheus says...
3:47pm Sun 29 Aug 10

Wouldn't it be more sensible for the government to ban cold calling and charity chuggers so that we all benefit.

Betty Blue says...
4:08pm Sun 29 Aug 10

Morpheus wrote:
Wouldn't it be more sensible for the government to ban cold calling and charity chuggers so that we all benefit.
Yes, the most sensible thing, but the ex MP for Brighton, David Lepper was going to do something but like all thing he WAS going to do nothing materialised.
We should all write to our MP to get them banned. That is of course if your MP is from the Green Party and you will not stand a cat in hells chance of getting anything done. She may even support chuggers from Friends of the Earth.

tom pepper says...
5:25pm Sun 29 Aug 10

When I was a kid my old neighbour Mary always used to open the door in her nightie, I alway's used to think, 'now that's a funny place to have a door'!

Betty Blue says...
5:33pm Sun 29 Aug 10

tom pepper wrote:
When I was a kid my old neighbour Mary always used to open the door in her nightie, I alway's used to think, 'now that's a funny place to have a door'!
What's that got to do with the price of fish?

ade1200 says...
6:24pm Sun 29 Aug 10

Betty Blue wrote:
tom pepper wrote:
When I was a kid my old neighbour Mary always used to open the door in her nightie, I alway's used to think, 'now that's a funny place to have a door'!
What's that got to do with the price of fish?
I believe humans refer to it as a joke.

Betty Blue says...
7:23pm Sun 29 Aug 10

ade1200 wrote:
Betty Blue wrote:
tom pepper wrote: When I was a kid my old neighbour Mary always used to open the door in her nightie, I alway's used to think, 'now that's a funny place to have a door'!
What's that got to do with the price of fish?
I believe humans refer to it as a joke.
but why would you answer the door, with a door in your nightie?

UglyAmerican says...
11:13pm Sun 29 Aug 10

Betty Blue wrote:
The worst people for cold-calling are the fund-raisers who will not take no for an answer. I think this month I have had Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace and a mental ill one. These people are paid £8.50 an hour. How can charities make any money if their staff get that amount of money.
Also beware, there are 2 or 3 Romanian gypsies knocking on doors sell "gold and silver rings" DO NOT ANSWER THE DOOR TO THEM. CALL THE POLICE.
Stop feeding the pigeons.

Lunchtime O'Booze says...
12:48am Mon 30 Aug 10

tom pepper wrote:
When I was a kid my old neighbour Mary always used to open the door in her nightie, I alway's used to think, 'now that's a funny place to have a door'!
I opened the front door and my wife was just standing there...wearing a smile, red RED lipstick and a baby doll nightie and looking Hot! I said "Where the bloody hell have you been till this time of night and dressed like that!"

Betty Blue says...
11:34am Mon 30 Aug 10

UglyAmerican wrote:
Betty Blue wrote: The worst people for cold-calling are the fund-raisers who will not take no for an answer. I think this month I have had Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace and a mental ill one. These people are paid £8.50 an hour. How can charities make any money if their staff get that amount of money. Also beware, there are 2 or 3 Romanian gypsies knocking on doors sell "gold and silver rings" DO NOT ANSWER THE DOOR TO THEM. CALL THE POLICE.
Stop feeding the pigeons.
I don't feed the pigeons!

Lunchtime O'Booze says...
5:56pm Mon 30 Aug 10

Betty Blue wrote:
UglyAmerican wrote:
Betty Blue wrote: The worst people for cold-calling are the fund-raisers who will not take no for an answer. I think this month I have had Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace and a mental ill one. These people are paid £8.50 an hour. How can charities make any money if their staff get that amount of money. Also beware, there are 2 or 3 Romanian gypsies knocking on doors sell "gold and silver rings" DO NOT ANSWER THE DOOR TO THEM. CALL THE POLICE.
Stop feeding the pigeons.
I don't feed the pigeons!
So you ADMIT to feeding the Seagulls!

Betty Blue says...
6:26pm Mon 30 Aug 10

Lunchtime O'Booze wrote:
Betty Blue wrote:
UglyAmerican wrote:
Betty Blue wrote: The worst people for cold-calling are the fund-raisers who will not take no for an answer. I think this month I have had Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace and a mental ill one. These people are paid £8.50 an hour. How can charities make any money if their staff get that amount of money. Also beware, there are 2 or 3 Romanian gypsies knocking on doors sell "gold and silver rings" DO NOT ANSWER THE DOOR TO THEM. CALL THE POLICE.
Stop feeding the pigeons.
I don't feed the pigeons!
So you ADMIT to feeding the Seagulls!
No, the only aniamal/bird I feed is my ****.

Betty Blue says...
6:44pm Mon 30 Aug 10

Lunchtime O'Booze wrote:
Betty Blue wrote:
UglyAmerican wrote:
Betty Blue wrote: The worst people for cold-calling are the fund-raisers who will not take no for an answer. I think this month I have had Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace and a mental ill one. These people are paid £8.50 an hour. How can charities make any money if their staff get that amount of money. Also beware, there are 2 or 3 Romanian gypsies knocking on doors sell "gold and silver rings" DO NOT ANSWER THE DOOR TO THEM. CALL THE POLICE.
Stop feeding the pigeons.
I don't feed the pigeons!
So you ADMIT to feeding the Seagulls!
No, the only thing I feed is my p-s-y.


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