Following a report of a distraction burglary in the Burnside Park area of Coleraine earlier today (October 2), Detectives in Coleraine are appealing for information.
Detective Sergeant Wallace said “It was reported one male called at the house of an older person at around 12:30pm claiming to be from the Northern Ireland Water Board. He gained access to the property and stayed in it for a few minutes before exiting.
“The occupant subsequently discovered that a sum of cash was missing from upstairs in the property after the man had left.
“I am appealing for anyone who was in the area of Coleraine and saw male acting suspiciously, or who had similar calls to their home to contact Detectives on the non-emergency number 101, quoting reference 879 of 02/10/20.
“I’m also making a direct appeal to friends and loved ones of older people, or those who are vulnerable in our communities to please, take a few minutes and have a conversation with them about what they can do to help protect themselves and their homes.
“There are a number of initiatives which are really helpful, including the ‘No Cold Calling’, the ‘Nominated Neighbour’ scheme, QuickCheck, Neighbourhood Watch and ScamwiseNI Partnership and details of all of these can be found on our website at psni.co.uk
“For example, the Nominated Neighbour Scheme allows householders to nominate a person who will deal with callers to their home. If a caller arrives when you are alone in the house, they can be shown a card instructing them to contact your ‘Nominated Neighbour’, who will then try and check the caller’s identity avoiding the need for you to open your front door.
“You can contact your local crime prevention officer on 101 about the Nominated Neighbour Scheme and QuickCheck. By using QuickCheck, people can phone 101 to check the identity of callers to their home who claim to represent an energy or water network company.
“Finally, I would really urge people to always ask for proof of identity. If people are who they say they are, they will be happy to show you their ID.
“To avoid becoming the victim of a scam visit ScamwiseNI at www.nidirect.gov.uk/campaigns/scamwiseni or @ScamwiseNI
“If you have any concerns please speak to your Local Policing Team Officer or your Crime Prevention Officer on 101.”
