Police and Trading Standards to host a Facebook chat on doorstep crime

As part of a national campaign to raise awareness of doorstep crime, Police Scotland Highland and Islands Division are to host a Facebook chat event with partners from Trading Standards, tomorrow evening (Wednesday 09 April).

Tomorrow's chat will be hosted by Detective Sergeant Richard Ross and Trading Standards Team Leader, Mark McGinty. They will be on hand to answer questions and provide advice on how you can best prevent yourself, a family member, a friend or a neighbour, from becoming a victim to this type of crime. Advice will also be available during the chat to impart safety tips on the topic.

Speaking on the subject, Detective Sergeant Ross said: "We have previously hosted a series of successful chat events on our Divisional Facebook page and it's been extremely positive to be able to engage with large numbers of people within the communities throughout the region.

"I would encourage the public to use this opportunity to ask any questions or raise any causes for concern relating to the subject. Even if they don't want to ask any specific questions, they may get some useful tips from just viewing the conversation thread."

Mark McGinty Trading Standards Team Leader said "Highland Council Trading Standards have only been involved in one previous online chat and I look forward to being on hand to answer any questions anyone has in relation to traders calling at their homes and offering to carry out works.   Quite often we find that the caller isn’t a real trade’s person, the work is of a poor standard or non-existent, and this can cause problems to the household."

"I would encourage the public to use this opportunity to ask any questions they have about doorstep callers and rogue traders. Even if they don't want to ask any specific questions, they may get some useful tips from just viewing the conversation thread.”

The chat event is being virtually held on the Police Scotland Highland and Islands Facebook page (Police Scotland Highland and Islands Divisonal Facebook page) between 18:00 and 19:30 hours tomorrow.

ends

8 Apr 2014