Watch out for rogue repair man

Detectives are urging people to be vigilant after a man falsely claiming to work for a boiler service company talked his way into a house in Holmes Chapel.

The man called at a property claiming to have sent to carry out an annual boiler check.

The elderly homeowner let the man inside the house and he accessed the boiler and the upstairs thermostat.

He left the property after around half-an-hour and the energy suppliers have since confirmed that they did not send anyone out to the address.

Nothing is believed to have been taken and enquiries are ongoing.

Sergeant Christian Morris said: “It is suspected that the man was a bogus caller who gained entry to the property with dishonest intentions.

“The man is described as white and aged 20 to 25 years old. He had medium-length blonde hair, a goatee-style blonde beard and multiple tattoos on his arms and legs.

“He was wearing charcoal grey shorts, a pale grey polo-style top and navy blue trainers and was carrying a blue satchel.

“If you saw the man in the area around that time, or recognise the description of him and think you may know who he is, please call Cheshire Police on 101, quoting incident number 119351, give us the details via https://cheshire.police.uk/contact/general-enquiries or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

“We are also keen to hear from anyone who thinks they may have CCTV or dashcam footage of the man.

“To submit dashcam footage go online at www.cheshire.police.uk/advice-and-support/roads-and-vehicle-safety/submit-dashcam-footage.

Residents are advised to be wary of anyone who calls at their home unexpectedly and to never let strangers inside.

Sgt Morris added: “If somebody claims they are from a boiler service company or any other type of firm or organisation then make sure you ask for identification.

“Check the ID is genuine by calling the company they claim to be from. Use telephone numbers listed in your local directory, online or provided independently by your service provider. Do not use any numbers given by the caller − they may be bogus.

“It is also wise to telephone a neighbour or friend nearby to ask them to come to your property to check out the caller before you open the door to them.

“If you have any doubts about the caller being genuine, don’t let them in and ask them to come back later when you are not alone.

“If you do let them into your home ensure that you close the door behind them − distraction burglars often work in teams and while you are distracted another person may sneak in through an open door. Stay with them at all times while they are in your property so that you can see what they are doing.

“Any suspicious activity should be reported to Cheshire Police on 101.”