Gayndah police warn North Burnett residents to beware of roving bitumen bandits

Burnett residents are being warned the region may soon be targeted by a band of roving scam artists who use a sneaky trick to part unsuspecting residents from their hard-earned cash. Here’s what you need to know:

Gayndah police are warning that travelling scammers offering cheap bitumen-laying services may be headed for the North Burnett.

Officer-in-charge Sergeant Don Auld said these roving conmen, described as a group of Irish or English rogue traders, have targeted rural properties in the Gympie area with long unsealed driveways.

The “bitumen bandits” arrive in a small truck towing a trailer with a bobcat and a small roller, purporting to be from a road-building business.

The con artists tell their victim they have leftover bitumen from a job and offer to seal their driveway for half price, usually around $30 a metre instead of $60.

Police are warning North Burnett residents they may be the next target for travelling bitumen bandits.

Sergeant Auld said the targets, who are usually elderly, would often not know the size of the driveway and would agree to the deal.

The men seal the driveway and roll it, but perform a very poor job, before invoicing the victim an unreasonably high price for the job.

Gayndah police are advising locals not to engage with any person seeking to seal their rural driveway with bitumen before confirming the company is reputable.

Sergeant Auld said it created a tricky legal situation for anyone who does believe they were preyed on, as there is no avenue for criminal action because the work has been completed, despite it being to a low standard.

Queensland Office of Fair Trading is furthering the victims’ complaints under the Fair Trading legislation.