Older people are being targeted by bogus callers

A scheme called the Bogus Caller Watch has been introduced into the Blaenau Gwent local authority area - which has seen a spate of doorstep burglaries by people claiming to be council and utility workers.

Details of the conmen will be passed on to council staff manning the 200 fleet of vehicles, including bin men.

Leader of the council John Hopkins said: "As soon as the police receive detailed information about bogus callers operating in or around the Blaenau Gwent area, they pass that information to our central depot in Brynmawr.

Workers scattered across the county borough are asked to watch out for the vehicle or individuals involved John Hopkins, Blaenau Gwent Council

"The information - which could be a description of a vehicle used by offenders, a registration number or a description of the offenders themselves - is then instantly radioed out to every one of the council's fleet of 200 vans and lorries.

"Workers scattered across the county borough are asked to watch out for the vehicle or individuals involved and if they spot them, report back to the central depot, giving the time and location of the sighting."

Mr Hopkins said that police would be notified of the sightings increasing their chance of catching the offenders.

He added that the council staff were under strict instructions not to approach suspects for safety reasons.

The sooner we are alerted to bogus callers operating in the area the better Pc Iwan Jones, Gwent Police

The scheme was initiated by the Brynmawr, Nantyglo and Blaina Partnership Against Crime.

Bernard Thomas, the chairman on the partnership said: "Distraction burglary is a particularly despicable crime because the victims are almost always the elderly and vulnerable in our communities who are least able to defend themselves.

"This scheme means bogus callers in Blaenau Gwent are more likely to be caught and brought to justice.

"The hills really will have eyes and the culprits will never know if they are being watched," he added.

Gwent Police are working closely with the scheme.

Pc Iwan Jones, the crime prevention officer for the area, said: "The key to success is for the police to receive information about the culprits as soon as possible.

"Often victims contact their family or neighbours and the incident is not reported to the police until long after the bogus callers have fled the scene.

"The sooner we are alerted to bogus callers operating in the area the better.