Call for vigilance after aggressive door-to-door salesmen target homes in Cheshire

Cheshire Constabulary is urging people to be vigilant following a series of cold caller incidents in the county.

Over the past month the force has received reports of people knocking on residents’ doors in Warrington, Runcorn, Northwich and Norley and attempting to sell household items to them in an aggressive manner.

Cold callers claiming to be ex-offenders trying to turn their lives around have resorted to swearing and even spitting on residents’ windows and cars and making threats against their pets when failing to secure a sale.

Eight cold caller incidents were reported in Runcorn on Tuesday 15 October.

The three latest incidents occurred in Lymm, Warrington, between around 2pm and 3pm on Thursday 14 November. The cold caller on that occasion is described as a white man, estimated to be in his late 20s and around 6’ tall. He had brown hair, a lazy eye and freckles and was wearing a blue and black ski jacket.

Enquiries in relation to the incidents are ongoing and the force is appealing for anyone with information regarding the man, or any other cold caller operating without a pedlar’s certificate, to get in touch.

Residents are asked to report any incidents of cold callers trying to sell them items without the required door-to-door trade certificate, particularly if the offender acts in an aggressive or threatening manner.

Residents are also urged to not allow themselves to be pressured into buying items from cold callers.

Detective Chief Inspector Justin Hancock, of Cheshire Constabulary’s Force Intelligence Bureau, said: “We work alongside Trading Standards to prevent people from selling items door-to-door without the required licence.

“The public also has a crucial role to play by reporting such cold callers to us on 101.

“We have had a number of reports of cold callers acting in an aggressive manner over the past month.

“If you are targeted at your home please follow the force’s advice regarding cold callers.”

The force’s advice for residents targeted by cold callers is:

• Do not open your door to strangers – you should use your door chain, if you have one, when answering the door
• If you do not have a door chain ask the caller who they are through the door before opening it – if you do not know them and are not expecting them then do not open the door
• If a cold caller tries to sell you something, ask to see their pedlar’s certificate – if they do not have one they are breaking the law by selling items door-to-door
• Report doorstep sellers operating without a pedlar’s certificate to Trading Standards and also to the police, particularly if the cold caller acts in an aggressive or threatening manner
• If you do not want to buy items from a cold caller simply tell them that and go back into your house – never let yourself be pressured into buying something that you do not want and never let a cold caller into your home