Ex-Con 'Rehabilitation' Door-to-Door Selling

sith

sith

sith

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Joined
7 Apr 2003
Posts
560
Hi All - interesting moment earlier in the day today.

Before we get started, I didn't believe a single word from this guy.

11am an older chap (say mid 50's) approached our house, end of a cul-de-sack (long road) and knocked on our door. He explained he was an ex-con, on a rehabilitation program and wondered if we'd like to buy any items from him (tea towels, cloths etc) - he had a big bag with everything in.

I explained I'm not interested in door-to-door selling, I got the glare and he just wondered off down the street, not a word.

The thing that struck me though is that he didn't bother with anyone else's house as I watched him walk right to the end of the road, passing 30 other houses.

I'm wondering if this is a tactic to see who's potentially in, at what time, looking at locks and valuables if they can...

Am I overthinking this? It was all just very suspicious.
 
Extra Information - I have a new VW Golf, Jet Black and Debadged, only a 2.0 TDI but looks more expensive/up market than it really is with the extras. Wondered if he was checking this perhaps...
 
you done the correct thing by jumping on a computer forum.
maybe he was there for your wife and not expecting you to be home ?
 
Had a few over the years, not sure if legit or not. Always have some tatty "id" card with them, always selling things three times the price of supermarkets.
 
If he looks like this buy a snow shovel

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Its a known scam, police are usually interested if you give them an immediate call so they can catch up with said person.
 
Ha, never know with these things. I was wondering more whether anyone else has had anything similar - to me it just seems a massive scam, with potentially a bigger objective (e.g. checking out the house)
 
sith said:
Ha, never know with these things. I was wondering more whether anyone else has had anything similar - to me it just seems a massive scam, with potentially a bigger objective (e.g. checking out the house)
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He could quite possibly be checking out the house, if you haven't got some CCTV then now wouldn't be a bad time to set some up, might be interesting if he comes back another time when you arn't around. Invest in German Shephard too!
 
I've had something similar quite a few years ago and mentioned it to a PCSO a bit later.

They're often on the lookout for potentially vulnerable people to target later and also checking for things like car keys left out on a table or hook in the hallway, or generally poor security.

Of course, if they can also sell some of the tat they're carrying around at a huge markup, they also get a little spending money for their efforts
 
It's definitely a scam, they often quote a rehabilitation program which doesn't actually exist and their "ID" card rarely has a photo.
 
We had one a few weeks back, young lad claiming to have been in young offenders but back on track and sponsored by barnardos and would i like to buy stuff from his holdall as he got commision.

Got a bit arsey when i told him we don't buy goods at the door.

Looking on the local Facebook group turns out people had already reported to 101.

Im assuming it was all stolen goods in the bag.
 
What kind of criminals knock your door and show you their face, then tell you they are a crim before possibly robbing your house / car / wife.
 
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