Christchurch Police are again warning residents to be on the lookout for bogus tradespeople claiming to be doing repairs or giving quotes.
The call follows an incident in Burnside yesterday where a householder was visited by a man claiming to be doing quotes for roofing repairs.
Inspector Paul Fremaux of Christchurch Police says the householder reported the incident because parts of the tradesman's story "didn't ring true".
"The householder has done exactly the right thing by bringing this to the attention of police," says Inspector Fremaux.
"We are hearing of similar cases on a reasonably regular basis. In the current environment there are a lot of genuine tradespeople doing work across the city - but there are also bogus operators who are seeking to take advantage of others for criminal ends.
"We really do want people to report any suspicious activity in their neighbourhoods to police as quickly as possibly. We have resources available and we will attend these incidents and investigate."
Inspector Fremaux says people can help by taking down details such as registration numbers, or by taking photos of suspicious vehicles.
"If people are unsure about a tradesperson, or someone calling at their door, they should always ask for identification.
"They may be genuine - but equally they could be identifying potential burglary targets or looking for vacant premises."
ENDS
Media contact:
Inspector Paul Fremaux, Christchurch Police, ph. 3637400