Elderly people are being advised by police to beware of bogus callers following two incidents in Ashford.

On Friday, March 1, two young men posing as water company employees knocked on the back door of a house in Bond Road at 3.30pm.

They told the 88 year old resident that they needed to check his water supply hadn’t been poisoned. After they showed the home owner what he thought was a legitimate ID card, which was the size of a credit card, he let them in.

Once in the building, one of the men went upstairs, while the other checked the taps in the kitchen on the ground floor.

However, it was only when the men had left that the elderly resident noticed cash had been taken from one of his upstairs rooms.

The suspects are described as white men aged around 18. One was 5ft 2in of slight build and cropped brown hair, the other 5ft 6in tall, of slim build with short fair hair and spoke with a Scottish accent.

If you have any information regarding this incident please contact the investigating officer, PC Sarah Phillips on 101 quoting crime ref: ZY/6078/13.
A similar incident took place in High Halden the evening before (Thursday, Febraury 28) when two men tried to enter the home of an 86 year old woman, claiming that they were from the gas board.

The incident took place at a home in Tilden Close between 8pm and 8.15pm but luckily the woman refused to let the two men enter and they left.

One man is described as white, aged 24-25, of a slim build, clean shaven with a southern accent and wearing dark clothing including a hooded top and a jacket.

The other was described as white, aged 21, slim build with a southern accent and also wearing dark clothing including a hooded top. He was described as having a baby face and piercing eyes.

Police are appealing for witnesses who might have seen two suspicious vehicles, either a white Toyota Hilux or Mitsubishi L200 with an orange roof bar, and a green and silver Mitsubishi L200, in the Tilden Close area that night.

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact the investigating officer, Detective Constable Robert Goodban on 101 quoting crime ref: ZY/5990/13.

Ch Insp Phil Hibben, District Commander, Ashford, said: “Most people who call at your home will be genuine. However, occasionally people may turn up unannounced and try to trick their way into your home to steal valuables or money.

“If you have concerns about anyone calling at your home, don’t open the door and ask them to return when you have someone with you. Genuine callers won’t mind.”

There is further advice and a downloadable guide to dealing with bogus callers available from the Kent Police website: http://www.kent.police.uk/advice/home/bogus.html