Police swoop on Birmingham's rogue builders
Det Sgt Jon Platt, who led the operation, said: “The operation jointly involved West Midlands Police and Trading Standards and followed an investigation into rogue builders.
“A substantial amount of work was carried out at the home of a 79-year-old retired firefighter. It started off with work to lower his chimney and then he was told his roof needed replacing and it escalated from there.
“The value of the work was approximately £20,000 but he was eventually charged about £315,000.”
The operation was part of a Midland-wide blitz in conjunction with officers from the Central England Trading Standards Authorities (CEnTSA) to target dodgy builders preying on the elderly and vulnerable with unnecessary work.
It was the start of a six-month operation targeting doorstep crooks.
In the first three months of 2009, complaints to the Consumer Direct West Midlands helpline about doorstep callers were up nearly 12 per cent on the same period last year.
CEnTSA Doorstep Crime Champion, Bob Robinson, said: “Intelligence suggests rogue traders continue to target vulnerable residents in their homes. Doorstep crime can affect our own parents, grandparents or neighbours so we are asking people to be aware.”
Det Chief Insp Andy Parsons, from West Midlands Police, said: “The people responsible for this type of crime prey on the most vulnerable.”
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