Crime Reduction - Helping to Reduce Crime in Your Area

Welcome and panel introductions

Moderator

Good morning everyone thanks for joining us. Today’s topic is ‘Targeting the issue of distraction burglary and raising awareness amongst vulnerable groups to reduce the surge in domestic burglary offences over the peak winter season.’ The panel will introduce themselves and feel free to tell us who you are and what your interest in distraction burglary is.

Marilyn Barratt

I am the community safety officer for Operation Liberal which is the national operation set up to tackle distraction burglary. I have responsibility for crime prevention initiatives and community safety issues regarding this type of crime. The operation has contacts in each force in England and Wales and a close working relationship with those in Scotland and Ireland.

Paul Unwin

I am the force Trading Standards liaison officer with the Cheshire Police. My remit is to promote joint agency investigations utilising both police and trading standards intelligence and working practises. I give training presentations to call takers, police officers and trading standards covering minimum standards of investigation, intelligence requirements and joint agency working practises.

Andy Fee

Hello everyone. I am DC Andy Fee from Wiltshire Police. I am the South West of England distraction burglary coordinator. I have worked in the distraction burglary field since 2000.As a coordinator, I work very closely with Operation Liberal. This operation is a national initiative to tackle doorstep crime.

Mike Foy

I am founder/editor of the Care Directions website. Widely acclaimed as an empowering information resource for older people and their caregivers. With older people living alone being particularly vulnerable to distraction crime, Care Directions has worked closely with The Home Office to present comprehensive guidance concerning the avoidance of this crime. Care Directions also informs upon Telecare technology options for older people - including ‘Bogus Caller’ alarms.

DCC Gerrard

I chair the ACPO Burglary Reduction Working Group and have a close association with Operation Liberal

Seasonal trends

Andy Fee

The panel are currently discussing whether there is a surge in this particular crime in relation to seasonal changes. I have noticed in the South West that we have a peak in this crime in January and May. However, this type of crime tends to be committed 364 days a year.

Moderator

Andy can you tell us a bit more about the seasonal peaks your force in Wiltshire has experienced? I wonder if the patterns are reflected nationally.

Andy Fee

Unfortunately I cannot speak nationally. Research in the South West has shown peaks in Jan and May. We are currently researching why this happens. I suspect Jan is a peak, due to the festive period. Experience shows even Distraction burglars have holidays!

Marilyn Barratt

The experience from the Liberal information is that offenders will use distraction techniques in the summer and rogue trading techniques in the winter.

No Cold Calling Zone Schemes

Moderator

PC Trevor Waudby from Hull has sent in the following question regarding cold calling zones:

I am currently engaged in the roll out of No Cold Calling Zones within Kingston Upon Hull, in the Humberside Police area in conjunction with Trading Standards. Zones are located in areas that were identified as having a high population of elderly/vulnerable occupants and any areas that are identified as hotspots for itinerant callers.

I now understand that No Cold Calling Zones are only one facet of Operation Liberal, having been present at a recent presentation given by Marilyn Barratt. I would like to ask the panel their views on whether or not No Cold Calling Zones are worthwhile as a stand alone initiative or whether they feel that they would only be appropriate as part of the overall Operation Liberal package.

Moderator

NCCZ are no cold calling zones - Paul can you give us a brief outline of what these are and the key issues?

Paul Unwin

Early evaluation of No Cold Calling Zones shows they are useful as a preventative measure and empower older residents to turn away cold callers. Due to pressure from the Direct Selling Association the OFT are taking legal advice to clarify the legality of a NCCZ. Therefore Op Liberal is not presently in a position to promote them nationally. Trading Standards and police should continue to use NCCZ in areas where there are vulnerable people or where there is evidence of doorstep crime.

Mike

Is there any further information regarding the legality of NCCZ as we are currently exploring the possibility of creating a whole borough as a zone.

Paul Unwin

There is no further information at this stage regarding the legality of No Cold Calling Zones. The general feeling is that the zones are best suited to areas targeted by doorstep criminals as opposed to having a whole county / city / town. The zones were initially set up to deter doorstep criminals. A sign erected at each end of a street would indicate that ‘You are entering a No Cold Calling Zone’. Early evaluation would indicate that they do prevent doorstep criminality and also general disorder.

Operation Liberal

Mike Foy

Marilyn, I would like to know more about the objectives of Liberal.

Marilyn Barratt

Operation Liberal offers a coordinated response to distraction burglary. We have created a bespoke database in respect of crimes intelligence, offenders, vehicles, forensic information and photographs. Within the operation I coordinate all the crime prevention initiatives.

Moderator

DCC Gerrard can you expand on your role within Operation Liberal?

DCC Gerrard

The ACPO Burglary Reduction Working Group has responsibility for identifying and disseminating good practice around the service in relation to burglary investigation and reduction. We wrote the Domestic Burglary National Good Practice and Tactical Options Guide (published in 2003 by the Home Office Standards Unit). The Good Practice guide supports the national approach adopted by Operation Liberal and the Working Group were instrumental in assisting Liberal to roll out access to the intelligence data base to all forces in England and Wales.

Mike Foy

How do citizens relate to Operation Liberal? Does it have a remit in terms of national communication to vulnerable groups?

Marilyn Barratt

Liberal tries to work with all citizens and especially the vulnerable communities. In Derbyshire we hold Liberation days especially for older people. This allows them to have a free day out and receive all kinds of information to enable them to live more independently. I also try to work with organisations like Age Concern and Help the Aged.

Moderator

Do we have any chat users that have experience of Op Liberal initiative?

Public Awareness Campaigns

Moderator

Another question for the panel to discuss: How can we give a simple and effective community safety message to the public to prevent and deter distraction burglars?

Moderator

The panel have been discussing the different messages in public awareness campaigns - such as moving away form the stop-check message towards if you are not sure don’t open the door.

Mike Foy

Care Directions has produced a comprehensive guide to all the issues - following The Home Office directive of ‘IF IN DOUBT, KEEP THEM OUT’ This can all be viewed at http://www.caredirections.co.uk.

Marilyn Barratt

Liberal have been involved in the discussions around an effective doorstep crime prevention message. We have come up with ‘Not Sure/ Don’t open the Door!’ and have produced a DVD on this subject.

Mike Foy

The DVD seems an excellent idea. How will members of the public gain access to a copy?

Marilyn Barratt

The DVD’s are available via the local police force. They were initially designed to be used as a training tool/awareness raising product. Please contact your local police force who may be able to loan you a copy. Alternatively I am trying to engage with the voluntary agencies of Age Concern help the Aged and Victim Support so they may have a copy to borrow, likewise the local PCT.

Andy Fee

In Wiltshire we are promoting the ‘Stay Out Stranger’ message for unexpected callers. The simple message we are giving to our community is Keep the door shut if you do not recognise or are not expecting a caller. You can find details of our campaign on the Wiltshire Police website.

Moderator

The following link will give you more information about the Stay out Stranger campaign: http://www.wiltshire.police.uk/campaigns/cmpview.asp?id=31

Mike

There appears to be lots of good work going on around the country. I’m not aware of any single point of contact to enable practitioners to brief themselves on what is going on, what has worked/not worked etc. Is there such a point of contact?

Marilyn Barratt

Mike - operation Liberal offers national coordination of distraction burglary. I can be contacted if you have specific queries on marilyn.barratt.6689@derbyshire.pnn.police.uk.

Mike Foy

Carers need to mobilised as regular ‘sentinels’ visiting properties where ‘tell tale’ signs of elderly residence are obvious. Are carers being brought into the communication net?

Target hardening and ID checks

DCC Gerrard

We need to get the public to be more aware of security. A large number of burglaries occur because property is insecure. It is no good stopping someone coming in the front door if the back door is left unlocked. We know that offenders distract householders at the front of a house whilst an accomplice enters through an insecure back door.

Moderator

So is distraction burglary about raising awareness to vulnerable groups or simply supplying more locks for doors? What has a real effect to reduce this specific type of crime?

Andy Fee

I think it is important to get the message across about not opening the door to unexpected callers. My experience tends to show that the battle with preventing this crime is on the doorstep. The people who commit this crime are very, very persuasive. My experience tends to show that once the door is opened, they tend to get in (they being distraction burglars).

Marilyn Barratt

Distraction burglary prevention is about raising awareness to all people about their security but also to the organisations who call on vulnerable and elderly householders. These should make sure that they are expected and that the householders has ways in which to check the caller out to make sure they are who they say they are.

Moderator

I know companies like British gas make a concerted effort to let people know their tradesmen will have photo ID - is this the sort of thing Op Liberal get involved in?

Marilyn Barratt

We work closely with British Gas and all utility companies. We encourage them to have photo ID but also to have a password scheme. We also hope they will publish the phone number to enable householders to be able to verify the caller’s identity.

Andy Fee

I have a problem with ID cards. They can be easily faked nowadays. I much prefer if utility companies made where possible pre arranged appointments

Mike Foy

Telecare alarm technology features a ‘Bogus Callers’ solution - where alarm buttons at doors or on a pendant connect by radio signal to a control centre via an in-home unit. The control centre can then call to validate the unwanted caller, or alert the police. Our website contains full details of Telecare and ‘Bogus Caller’ solutions.

Under-reporting

Moderator

I imagine you need to be sensitive in dealing with reports of distraction burglary and that large numbers go unreported as the victim feels at fault - what is the panel’s or any chatters’ experience of this?

Andy Fee

There is a real problem with under reporting of this crime. We suspect only ten percent is actually reported! I have found three main reasons for unreporting. One reason is the person is not even aware they have suffered a distraction burglary i.e. the man saying he is fixing a water pipe, they genuinely believe that person to be real. Secondly, I feel elderly people subjected to this crime fear that their family etc may feel they are not capable of looking after themselves. Thirdly I think embarrassment is a factor.

Marilyn Barratt

I think that there are even less offences of rogue trading reported! Mainly due to the fact that people don’t know that they have been a victim!! If they have been charged a lot of money for a job to be done they may think that this is a good price.....

Rogue Traders

Moderator

Mike what advice does Care Directions give in relation to rogue trading?

Mike Foy

Our ‘Bogus Callers’ article touches upon the critical need to always get a quote for work to be carried out and not to ask for work from cold callers. We would certainly like to expand upon the guidance we could give. Would be very interested in speaking to anybody in the Police forces or The Home Office teams concerning reporting of this issue.

Marilyn Barratt

Some of the distraction burglars and rogue traders target older people by the appearance of their homes - the grab rails or ramps outside the property as well as gardens needing a little bit of work doing on them.

Moderator

I think some councils have lists of approved traders but from personal experience I know not all councils do this as a matter of course.

Marilyn Barratt

Many local authorities have trusted trader type schemes. These are often run in conjunction with Age Concern.

Mike Foy

Also would stress that on no account visit a cash point to pay for work carried out.

Moderator

It’s seems incredible to me that banks take no responsibility for vulnerable groups removing large amounts of money under duress.

Marilyn Barratt

Banks do have a protocol they should be adhering to but it seems to be down to local braches whether or not they do.

Andy Fee

I think there should be a national concerted effort to train bank staff as to how to identify potential victims of Rogue Trading.

Ease of reporting to the police

Mike Foy

If a person has been a victim of a ‘Bogus Caller’ scam, how can they best protect other neighbours in making report to the police? Will it be an easy/fast track process for older people, not requiring them to visit a police station?

Paul Unwin

Victims should be encouraged to report distraction burglary or any form of doorstep crime to the police. That information may prevent another householder becoming a victim.

Most police forces will have burglary initiatives in place and a phone call will result in a police officer attending the scene. This will then generate house to house enquiries and put preventative measures in place. Victims should not have to attend a police station to report the crime.

Moderator

Paul in response to Mike Foy’s question can you tell the group about the national standards now in place regarding investigation of distraction burglary reports - do these also apply to rogue traders?

Paul Unwin

There are national minimum standards of investigation for distraction burglary in England and Wales. That document includes a distraction burglary questionnaire containing vital information which can be circulated through Operation Liberal at an early stage. A statement should also be completed.

Police officers tend to dismiss old people as making poor witnesses due to being confused, having a bad memory or not making a good witness in court.

Time should be given for old people to recount the traumatic experience for a statement. It is no surprise that most distraction burglary investigations result in a guilty plea due to the victim proving to be a good witness.

Agency joint working & cocooning to reduce repeat victimisation

Moderator

What is the link between distraction burglary and rogue traders? And do you find these are usually the same people or different groups?

Paul Unwin

Intelligence would suggest that there is a link between the distraction burglar and rogue trader. Rogue trader methods such as roofing, tarmacing and gardening provide offenders with the opportunity to identify vulnerable old people. The rogue trader will then return using a distraction con or pass information on about a target who may keep money in the house. It is imperative therefore that police and trading standards work together to gather intelligence and target offenders. Joint agency operations also assist when getting crime preventative messages to the public.

Marilyn Barratt

The criminal fraternity have their own ‘intelligence networks’ so will share information about the vulnerability of victims and where they have had a success.

Andyh

I think the police have dealt poorly with rogue traders in the past "it’s a civil debt" being a common response. We have set up a joint police trading standards protocol so that there is a joint response to rogue trader incidents.

Marilyn Barratt

We had a national joint operation called operation rogue trader. This was a joint operation to tackle rogue trading. We involved Police, Trading Standards as well as DVLA and other agencies. The 2007 event was on 15 June and was very successful. We shall be holding another one in 2008 on a date yet to be decided.

bluegirl

How were the DVLA involved?

Marilyn Barratt

The DVLA were involved as often the vehicles being used by these criminals do not carry vehicle excise licences. The DVLA were used in automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) operations. The Liberal database feeds into the ANPR databases so these vehicles will be highlighted.

Moderator

Are PCSOs/PCs in local neighbourhood beats able to advise neighbours that there has been a recent incident of rogue trading or distraction burglary?

Andy Fee

Wiltshire Police are making a special effort to train PCSOs, communication staff and Police Officers on how to identify vulnerable locations/people and to regularly patrol these areas and keep in touch with their elderly community.

Marilyn Barratt

There has to be a structured training process in place for both the police and trading standards so that rogue trading is dealt with in a consistent manner. Joint operations help with this as each agency learns about the other - what their powers are. It’s important that all call takers are trained appropriately on how to deal with calls about rogue traders.

Paul Unwin

Training and awareness to police officers and staff is a key to giving the appropriate response. Historically rogue trader activity had been written off as a civil debt. In the main this was because officers had no idea if any criminal offences had been committed. By educating call takers and front line officers of the offences committed, rogue traders are now being arrested and questioned.

Recent legislation such as the Fraud Act 2006 clearly outlines offences committed by rogue traders and in my force trading standards and police are charging offenders accordingly.

Distraction Burglary Task Force

Moderator

DCC Gerrard does the Distraction Burglary Task Force still exist?

DCC Gerrard

I don’t think the Distraction Burglary TaskForce still exists. If it does, it has not involved the ACPO Burglary Reduction Working Group for at least two years. The Task Force provided a cross agency approach and was useful in engaging other organisations such as the Utility Companies. The Home Office should consider re-establishing it.

DCC Gerrard

I am no longer online

BME victims

Eddie

I am leading a scenario based presentation to groups of over 50’s.The question has been raised as to whether similar age groups from ethnic minorities are common victims of distraction burglaries. Are you aware of BME groups being victims of this offence and if so do you have any indication as to what mix of the population attracts this type of crime, and any particular MO used on ethnic groups?

Marilyn Barratt

Current research suggests that distraction burglary is still mainly a ’white on white’ crime due mainly I think to cultural differences. This I think will change over time.

Use of the media and publicity DVDs and slogans

Andyh

No-one has mentioned the media. The national press play a huge part in raising the fear of crime. Is any work being done with the national media to address this issue?

Mike

I set up a multi agency ‘Bogus Caller’ group with relevant and motivated people. Nicholas Owen the newsreader and broadcaster supports us with fronting anything which goes in the public domain i.e. press conference and Trickster. The group has been running a year and we have been concentrating on education for all ages and Neighbourhood Watch.

Mike Foy

Any plans to bring a powerful personality to front the drive to warn of the dangers of distraction crime/Bogus Callers? Del Boy Trotter or George Cole would be ideal!

Andy Fee

Mike Foy - I think this would be a great idea. However, as ever, may be expensive to do.

Marilyn Barratt

Mike this would be a good idea but the difficulty is engaging with them. There is usually a cost involved!!

Legseleven

A DVD would be good. It might be expensive but if it would reduce the incidents of distraction burglary, would be worth it. Del Boy Trotter would be a great choice.

Mike

It looks like thumbs up for the DVD, simple but effective.

Legseleven

A few years ago we received some videos from the Home Office for use with community groups starring Annette Crosby. We used them quite successfully with elderly people’s groups but I wondered if anyone has made anything else to update the old video? Does anyone have anything already prepared in other languages - especially Polish? We are particularly anxious that whilst we want to educate our elderly community groups, we do not want to raise the fear of crime.

Mike

The Home Office video is still relevant, but we need it on DVD. Any plans?

Moderator

Unfortunately the Home Office do not have a dedicated policy officer for distraction burglary due to the latest Crime Strategy which focuses on other areas such as reducing serious violence.

bluegirl

Maybe its time to look at the cost of the distraction burglary, against the cost of making a new DVD, and see if one cost justifies not doing a new DVD / video.

Mike

We require national coordination and funding to deal with this serious subject. Home Office?

Moderator

Mike as I detailed above the Home Office no longer have a lead on Distraction Burglary as the new Crime Strategy focuses on more serious crime and other key issues such as designing out crime. Operation Liberal co-ordinate national initiatives. Local LAAs which are in the process of being decided for the forthcoming year allow areas to focus on key concerns for your community.

Mike

Distraction burglary is serious crime, which can have major health implications for the victims.

Andy Fee

It certainly does Mike. A dreadful crime. Although this crime is considered to be a low volume crime, its can have a significant impact on the well being of its victim.

Moderator

If reporting is estimated at only 10% surely we need to be raising awareness of the crime but also working to encourage reporting?

Marilyn Barratt

Liberal has produced a DVD called ‘Not Sure? Don’t open the door!’ It is only available in English. This DVD features distraction burglary and rogue trading as well as information sharing between the groups of offenders. The scenarios show how each crime is committed then how to avoid it happening.

Andy Fee

We are promoting a similar concept to the stranger danger concept. We are currently campaigning for ‘stay out stranger’ The message we are giving is simple ‘Don’t open your door to an unexpected caller’ You can see our campaign on the Wiltshire Police website.

BOOFIE

May I just say how impressed I have been with the SOS (Stay out Stranger) campaign?

Andy Fee

Thank you boofie. Did you access the campaign on the Wiltshire Police website?

BOOFIE

I certainly did, I am most impressed with your branding of this subject. Impactive yet simplistic.... fantastic!

Mike Foy

Wouldn’t it be better to standardise slogan guidance? ‘STAY OUT STRANGER/NOT SURE DON’T OPEN THE DOOR/IF IN DOUBT KEEP THEM OUT’ have all been mentioned at this session.

Marilyn Barratt

We have tried to standardise the message and have come up with ‘Not Sure? Don’t Open the Door!’ It seems to combine all aspects of the message. What does everyone else think? If anyone wants to use the message please feel free.

Andy Fee

It will be interesting from the chatters online to pick the easiest message to give out re Mike’s good point.

Mike

NOT SURE DON’T OPEN THE DOOR gets my vote

BOOFIE

SOS is in keeping with your target audience and not too gimmicky... albeit I am slightly biased.

Marilyn Barratt

The ‘Not Sure? Don’t open the Door!’ message also works well with all agencies – Police, Trading Standards, Health as well as carers.

Raising the Fear of Crime

Moderator

The Home Office have clear targets to reduce the fear of crime in the current PSAs.

Legseleven

We are anxious not to raise the fear of crime - its part of our remit as a CDRP and we measure it each year.

bluegirl

So it’s always got to be about reducing stats and not actual incidents then.... I would prefer people to have a fear of crime and be alert when answering the door.

Legseleven

We want our residents to be aware and alert but not to live in fear.

Marilyn Barratt

If people have a raised fear of crime, they may not wish or be able to go out. This will increase their vulnerability. But it can also affect their health.

Andyh

Playing devils advocate here, if a person’s fear of crime is raised, does it mean they take more precautions and are more vigilant?

Marilyn Barratt

Andyh if their fear of crime is managed i.e. they find out what to do and then do it, that’s fine and it’s worked. The problem comes when people’s fear is really high and they do not know what to do. This can then affect their health.

bluegirl

By getting the message across in friendly manner, I don’t see why it would raise the fear of crime. It’s about teaching the older community ‘Stranger Danger’ as they did their children.

Moderator

The panel are frantically typing away to our questions but do any of our chatters have a question they want to put to the panel in our last 30 minutes?

Mike Foy

Older people are more easily taken in by the many ingenious scams ‘Bogus Callers’ use. I think they should have genuine fear of this crime - as should their caregivers! Discuss.

Andy Fee

I also think that we need to get the message across to family/friends and carers to report to the police any suspicious activity. I have sometimes found that victims of this crime have alerted family/friends and have not been believed

Marilyn Barratt

There is a new Home Office leaflet aimed at the caring professions. It’s all about the carers and how they deal with bogus callers on the people they care about. It’s freely available from the Home Office.

Link

What to do if an intruder gains entry

Mike Foy

If confronted by an unwanted caller gaining entry, what are the basic principles of self protection for older people i.e. be totally compliant/hint of an impending carers visit etc. What’s best to avoid antagonising the criminal and avoiding assault?

Andy Fee

Mike my advice would be not to open the door to an unexpected caller...remember stay out stranger.

Security of valuables

Mike Foy

Older people inevitably keep cash at home. Where do burglars/Bogus Callers look first and second? Where could money be hidden to cause criminals most problems with finding?

Marilyn Barratt

Money should be kept in the bank as experience shows that the criminals will find the money wherever it is hidden

Andy Fee

Mike my experience tends to show that distraction burglars are expert searchers. My advice is to keep the money in the bank!!

Moderator

Not in the fake baked bean tins! The offenders make it their business to keep up to date with the latest products on the market.

Moderator

Any quick questions for the last few minutes?

Marilyn Barratt

I would be interested to hear about any doorstep crime prevention initiatives that are being run. It helps me to keep up-to-date with current thinking email me at marilyn.barratt.6689@derbyshire.pnn.police.uk.

Moderator

Alternatively initiatives can be added to the Ideas Exchange on the Crime Reduction Website so that they can be accessed by everyone. http://www.crimereduction.homeoffice.gov.uk/iex/

Next month’s online expert chat

Moderator

Thanks for taking part everyone. The edited transcript will be circulated to you all within the next fortnight. Next month’s online expert chat is about the use of guns in gangs and takes place on 4th December between midday and 2pm.