The hardest part of stealing valuables is getting into a house without being seen, finding the money or valuables and then getting out again without getting caught.

Wouldn’t it be good if a criminal could get you to invite him in, give him some time to look around and then show him out and wave goodbye? Good for him that is, not for you! Unfortunately some criminals manage to do just that, and they use the bogus caller trick to arrange it. They claim to have some sort of official standing when they come to your door, trick you into letting them in, trick you into leaving them alone for a while, then they walk off with the family jewels or your life savings. This is sometimes called a ‘distraction burglary’.

Distraction Burglary

It is easier to divert your attention if two or more of them work together. A pair of bogus callers will engage you in their trick – for example, a bogus meter reader will ask you to hold his torch while he gets in to write down the reading. Meanwhile his colleague who has been introduced as a trainee meter reader will ask if it is OK for him to use the toilet, which most people readily agree too. But you are trapped holding the torch in the hall while the meter reader pretends that his pen has broken and searches for another non-existent pen. He may even ask you to get a pen from the kitchen for him to use while his ‘trainee’ colleague is using the toilet – or in reality searching other rooms in the house.

This is a problem that could potentially affect anyone, though it is more likely to have more serious consequences for the elderly and infirm. Bogus callers take many forms, but they are all intent on a criminal objective. Some of the classic bogus caller tricks and methods are described below. The only effective counter-measure that is available to people is not to let the bogus callers into their home.

Statistics show that last year in the UK, 400,000 cases of bogus callers were reported. In at least 180,000 of those cases, the callers managed to get in and steal money or property. That sounds like a lot, but remember that unreported crime is generally thought to be at the very least, equal to reported crime. That means that the actual incidence of bogus callers was nearer 800,000 and about 360,000 people had things stolen by them. Personally I think that the level of distraction burglary is much higher!

This doesn’t mean that the elderly are stupid, it simply reflects the fact that they were raised in a time when people were automatically deferential to anyone in authority. For them, somebody in what looks like a uniform would usually be trusted and obeyed without question. Today, there is a decreasing level of respect for authority figures and their argumentative attitude usually protects younger people from the same tricks. Nevertheless, everyone should be aware of the disguises and tricks that are used. Some common tricks are discussed below, but remember that anyone who comes to your door could be a bogus caller.

Bogus Meter Readers

Pretending to be an electricity or gas meter reader, the bogus caller knocks at your door. They appear to be wearing some sort of official uniform, with a clipboard and a friendly but slightly bored manner and ask where the meter is. Nobody really knows how often the meter reader calls, because they seem to come when they want to, and nobody is surprised to find one on their doorstep.

If they have done their research properly they will probably target elderly residents. They shine a torch, write something on a form clipped to their board, thank you and almost as an afterthought ask if they can use the toilet, or maybe ask for drink of water. Whatever they want, it is an excuse to get a chance to look around the house and pocket anything small and valuable. That done they thank the resident again and off they go. The loss is not likely to be discovered for some while, by which time they will be long gone.