Police warn Boscombe residents to be on their guard against con men.

Police are warning Boscombe residents to be on their guard against con men. The call comes after a number of local residents were robbed when they let in men claiming to be from the ‘water board or the council or they have come to read the meter.

Detective inspector Richard Dixey of Dorset Police said: “We are asking the public to remain vigilant at this time and to check the ID of anyone knocking at their door.”

The offenders work in pairs and use distraction techniques. In one incident a local resident was pushed aside and another was distracted while the accomplice gained access through a window.

Common lies they use include ‘I am from the water board’, there actually isn’t a water board any more. ‘ I need to read your meter’, a check needs to be made with the utility company and ‘we are the police and we have caught a burglar, we need to check if your money is safe’, The real police say they would never do this.

Dorset police have issued several guidelines to guard against this sort of trickery. They said: Display a no coldcallers sign in your window; Contact utility providers and join their password scheme; Telephone a neighbour or nearby friend to attend your home and check out the caller.

If you are suspicious call the police, even if the men have left. They emphasised the point of not keeping large quantities of cash at home