Victims Raise Awareness Of Rogue Trader Crime in New DVD
A new DVD entitled ‘Rogue Traders Ruin Lives’ featuring victims of rogue traders and dodgy door-to-door salespeople is being launched to raise awareness of doorstep crime, Warwickshire County Council’s Trading Standards Service has announced.
Targeted at professionals who work with older and vulnerable people including carers, nurses, doctors, home helps, the police, charities and residents groups, the DVD features real victims of doorstep crime who explain the impact these crimes have had on their lives.
The DVD is being launched on Thursday 3rd February, from which time a shortened version will be available to view on online via Warwickshire County Council’s website, http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/tradingstandards.
Warwickshire County Councillor Richard Hobbs, Portfolio Holder for Community Protection said:
“Rogue traders prey on all sections of our community, but it is often the most vulnerable people in our society who are worst affected by these crimes. In some extreme cases people have lost their entire life savings. All too often victims of rogue traders are either too embarrassed or intimidated to report the incident.
This is where the new DVD will help, by educating and informing professionals who work with the elderly and vulnerable so that they can spot the warning signs that indicate a client or customer might be involved with a rogue trader.”
Trading Standards Officers are experienced in dealing with these types of crime swiftly and sensitively, taking the stress away from the householder. Sadly doorstep crime is massively unreported. Of the 666,000 doorstep crimes that take place annually, only around 1 in 10 is ever reported.
There are two versions of the DVD available, a 15 min full version and a 5 min short. Copies are free for professionals, agencies, groups and organisations and can be obtained by phoning Warwickshire Trading Standards Service on 01926 414040.
The film was produced by Worcester University students for the Central England and East Midlands Trading Standards partnerships. Blank DVDs seized from the illegal counterfeiting and piracy industry were used in the production process, reducing the cost.