No Cold Calling Zones (CCZs)
Information, background and benefits of setting up these zones.
NCCZs are formally set up by the North Yorkshire Trading Standards Department of North Yorkshire County Council as one part of an initiative designed to reduce distraction burglaries and rogue trading (doorstep crime). Trading Standards, in partnership with North Yorkshire Police, Neighbourhood Watch and other bodies, promotes the formation of these schemes in order to support residents in an effort to stop uninvited salespeople from calling at your house. Although there are relatively few instances of doorstep crime, there are still too many and you may have read about bogus water board officials entering under false pretences, drive or tarmac laying repairs with ‘cheap materials surplus to contract’, roof tiling repairs or replacement, furniture and garden materials left over from a sale or exhibition, etc. and some fish sellers and unidentified charity collectors are currently active in this area. Invariably the old, single, more vulnerable person is the victim. Besides being upsetting there is evidence that it can be very expensive indeed as these rogues often demand cash payment for unnecessary work, which considerably exceeds their original verbal quotation and in some instances payment has been in tens of thousands of pounds over a period of two or three years.
So far there are over 200 NCCZ schemes in North Yorkshire. Council funding is, as always, limited and it is therefore important to make an early evaluation as to the necessity for setting up a scheme in your locality and submit an application requesting the ‘Creation of a NCCZ’, if appropriate. It is necessary to identify one person to represent the residents in a small area to make the application. The person may be a Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator, Parish Councillor, Representative Resident or a member of your Police Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT). If the ‘leader’ is from NHW, it helps to hold a NHW meeting to agree on the need and justification and furthermore to obtain the agreement of the Parish Council and Police SNT before submitting the application. By justification, we mean that the core objective of preventing or reducing crime or the fear of crime can be met, the zone is relatively small and can be defined geographically with limited access point(s), that there is a high percentage of vulnerable residents and consultation with householders demonstrates 100% agreement. If there have been incidents with rogue traders in the locality, agreeing with the police and mentioning the facts of the case(s) would usually help to prioritise the application. On receipt of the application Trading Standards Officers will assess the case. If supportive, they will circulate a letter to all residents defining the main purpose (NHW Co-ordinators can assist with the letter-drop) and follow up with personal visit at a pre-arranged date to carry out a survey of opinions. Following the routine assessment, Trading Standards will post signs at appropriate points informing cold callers and uninvited guests that they are not welcome in that area. Residents are informed how to deal with such people and how to contact Trading Standards and the Police in the event of cold callers ignoring the signs.
We are particularly conscious of the fact that in many situations the cold calling is often a ruse to identify which property and owner/resident is most vulnerable for a subsequent burglary to be carried out by the same person(s) or associates.
Unfortunately the number of reported incidents is very small, because over 85% of victims do not report, usually because they are embarrassed and many would not even admit to family members that they had been so gullible. So we need a concerted effort to report incidents to Trading Standards or the police SNTs, noting any names on vehicles and registration numbers. Neighbourhood Watch members must keep a watchful eye on the premises of the old and vulnerable and should not hesitate to report on unusually suspicious looking vehicles. The con-men will come back repeatedly once they have been given some cash.
It is only by reporting such instances, that the authorities can piece together several incidents and gain evidence to prosecute. There is now legislation for the professionals to take action and help in our quest to combat such crime if the deterrent of a NCCZ scheme is insufficient.
Trading Standards can be contacted directly on 01609 534800.
Or for more information speak to the Safer Neighbourhood Team at your local police station. It is not necessary to be a member of a Neighbourhood Watch scheme – but it helps.
TO PREVENT CRIME IS EVERYONE’S RESPONSIBILITY.
Complete a request form