Distraction burglary

Distraction burglars pretend to be someone they are not in order to gain entry to your home. Common methods used by distraction burglars:

• Pretending to be from a care agency, the council or a utility company investigating a gas or water leak
• seeking help to leave a note for a neighbour or even asking for a drink of water if they claim to be thirsty or unwell
• Claiming to be in a hurry or emergency and needing to get into your home quickly
• working in teams, with one person distracting you while the other searches your home

How to prevent it

There are a number of things you can do to prevent distraction burglary. Always remember If in doubt, keep them our:

• Use your door viewer to see who’s there
• If you open the door put the chain on first
• Always ask for ID and check it with the company before letting somebody into your home
• Use the phone number advertised In the phone book or online, as the number on their identity card could be fake. For a utility company, call the customer service department. Close the door while you do this
• Remember that genuine callers won’t mind checks. If you feel at all unsure, schedule a time for the caller to come back when a friend or relative is there
• For pre-planned appointments with utility companies, a password scheme can be set up

If you’re not sure, don’t open the door!