Police are warning elderly residents in the Glen Eden area not to feel intimidated or pressured by door-to-door salespeople offering to do tree trimming work.
Over the past few months, Police have received a number of complaints from members of the community about ‘tree arborists’ who have been door knocking and walking onto property uninvited to look at trees. The ‘arborists’ have then tried to get the occupants to pay for their trees to be cut, for hundreds of dollars of cash.
Many of those people have been elderly, who have felt quite intimidated or pressured into making a decision.
“We’re aware of one case where the tree cutters have arrived and told the occupant ‘we’re here because your partner wants us to cut the trees’. The occupant wasn’t able to contact his wife and the work went ahead. It turned out though that the man’s wife didn’t know anything about it and hadn’t arranged any tree cutting” says Constable Heber Gasu, Glen Eden Community Constable.
Often the so-called 'arborists' appear to have no professional cutting equipment or safety gear.
At this stage, the descriptions given of those responsible have not enabled Police to further enquiries and Police are advising anyone who experiences a similar situation to do the following;
-If you feel pressured into making a decision, tell the salesperson you want to speak to a family member first.
-Call a family member straight away, or if you feel that your safety is at threat, call Police.
-Do not engage with the tree cutters or answer the door.
-Take a description or the registration plate of the salesmen and pass this to Police.
-If you do need trees cut, call a registered qualified arborist, who will have insurance in the event that a tree falls into the house etc.
“This is also a warning to any cowboy tree-cutters who have been pressuring elderly into having their trees cut at exorbitant rates – stop it right now. Police and the community are keeping a close eye on you” says Constable Gasu.
ENDS
Beth Bates/Waitemata Police