Something fishy about these door-to-door ‘salesmen’

Police warn home-owners after wealthy villages are targeted by bogus traders in upmarket vans

POLICE are warning home-owners of criminals who are using upmarket fish vans as a ruse to commit burglaries in wealthy villages.

Criminals are posing as fishmongers selling door-to-door to target unsuspecting residents.

The latest areas to be hit are the Cotswolds and Hertfordshire. Incidents have been reported across Britain, with other cases in Cumbria and Wales.

In Hertford, criminals have been offering to sell seafood door-to-door before returning later to steal property.

Ch Insp Gerry Mcdonald, of Hertfordshire Police, said: “We know that in other areas of the county people have been conned into buying fish well above the market rates, by door-todoor fish sellers.

“We are concerned that this is maybe starting to happen in east Herts and are asking residents to be on their guard.

“Most mobile fish sellers have regular weekly rounds or pitches. These new vans are turning up at random locations and at random times. We are also concerned that these ‘fish sellers’ may also be checking out properties.”

Claire Wood, 32, from Hertford, said her area was targeted and a burglary occurred later the same day. “I had some bloke knock on my door trying to sell me meat and fish before saying he would go back to his van and show me some products,” she said.

“I said ‘I’m not interested, I’m vegan’ as I didn’t trust him. An old lady was also targeted and had her home burgled.”

Detectives believe there is a link between the burglaries and fish tradesmen. A spokesman for Herts police said: “We have had information passed on to us from local residents that there are new fish vans operating in the rural areas.

“We are warning residents to be on their guard and want to hear from anyone who has been pressurised into buying fish.

“We are also concerned that these ‘fish sellers’ may also be checking out properties.”

In Gloucestershire, residents reported salesmen selling fish and wearing white coats who were looking in cars.

One resident told the police after they had left that she noticed white chalk on her wall – regarded as a “sign” used by some to identify a property as a potential target for burglars or thieves.

In Deeside, Wales, a similar scam has been reported where vulnerable people were scammed by cold callers at their doors using high pressure sales techniques to encourage people to buy large quantities of poor quality fish where the source, catch method, preparation, storage and weights were unknown.