Rise in cases of bogus officials

Oct 18 2008 by Andrew Hirst, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

THE number of doorstep conmen who have tricked their way into homes has risen sharply in Kirklees.

Police across the division have had 22 reported `bogus official’ crimes since May – a small number but up on the previous year when only a handful wererecorded.

Huddersfield has been hit hard recently with bogus police striking in Golcar and Thongsbridge to steal cash.

A 66-year-old man became suspicious on Thursday after three men called at his home claiming a water pipe had burst nearby.

The victim allowed one man into the house in Parkside, Flockton, at 2.20pm, after the men claimed water had got into a gas pipe and they needed to shut the gas off.

They went into the kitchen, but then a second man joined them.

The victim became worried, went upstairs to get his mobile phone and spotted the third man walking out of a bedroom.

He then told the men to leave and they did – but he later discovered cash missing.

All three suspects are white.

The man who did all the talking is aged 25 to 30, 5ft 9ins and slim with short dark hair.

He wore a white shirt, dark trousers and spoke with an Irish accent.