Police Caution Businesses Following Rogue Trader Incidents in North Worcestershire

Law enforcement has issued a caution regarding fraudulent tradespeople following two distinct occurrences in north Worcestershire. In both instances, individuals posing as laborers approached local businesses without prior notice, proposing to perform resurfacing tasks. They executed inferior work, subsequently demanded payment amounting to thousands of pounds, and reacted with aggression and threats upon refusal of payment. West Mercia Police recommends against engaging with any unsolicited callers who offer resurfacing services. On Tuesday afternoon, a haulage company situated in Marlbrook, close to Bromsgrove, received an uninvited visit from individuals offering to complete a “small amount” of resurfacing for £50. After laying only 20 sq m (215 sq ft), they “aggressively” escalated the cost to £7,500. When the firm’s employees proposed a payment of £1,500, they faced threats of violence and endured multiple aggressive phone calls. Concurrently, a public house in Kidderminster’s Farfield district was contacted by traders who falsely identified themselves as highways personnel, stating they possessed some “spare tarmac” available for the car park. Despite the staff declining the proposition, the individuals arrived nonetheless, performed a “substandard” job on the car park, and subsequently demanded £8,000, with £5,500 required by the subsequent morning. Sgt Dan Townsend stated: “We would advise people not to deal with anyone who visits their premises uninvited.” He added: “You should not feel bullied, threatened, or pressurised into buying anything or having any work carried out.” The police force indicated that guidance for individuals who become victims of scams is available on its dedicated fraud web pages. For further updates, BBC Hereford & Worcester can be followed on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X, and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding its approach to external linking is also available.