Burwood police charge UK men over roof repair scam

Burwood police have charged two men after a spate of roofing repair scams across the inner west.

Burwood police have charged two men over a roof repair scam.

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BURWOOD police have charged two men after a spate of roofing repair scams across the inner west.

A spokeswoman from Burwood Police Area Command said detectives arrested the pair on March 12 after they “impersonated” roof repairmen in a scam targeting “vulnerable victims” in the Strathfield area.

“Due to an increased number of similar scams, Burwood detectives questioned the men linking them to multiple offences,” she said.

“The men were charged with four counts of fraud offences and one assault charge.”

The men, who are from the United Kingdom, were refused bail and will face Burwood court next Wednesday.

Officers from Burwood Police Area Command have been investigating roof repair scams in the inner west.

It comes after a separate case where a British man was charged over a similar incident in Haberfield.

A police spokeswoman said an 82-year-old woman was at home about midday on March 5 when three men persuaded her to hand over $2000 for them to carry out roof repairs.

They then drove her to the bank so she could withdraw another $6000.

The men fled after bank staff become suspicious and contacted police, sparking an investigation by Burwood police.

The 38-year-old man was arrested on March 15 and charged with dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception.

He has been refused bail and will face Burwood court on April 3.

Burwood Police crime prevention officer Lisa Latu has warned people to be vigilant..

Burwood Police crime prevention officer Lisa Latu warned people to be vigilant and alert their neighbours about the scammers to avoid being tricked into believing their house needs repairs.

Senior Constable Latu advised people to always ask for identification and if they refuse to call police immediately.

Tips to avoid falling victim to the scammers:

-Always seek references before you hire a roofing company and go see the roofs of their clients. Look for signs of a bad roofing job. If you get no references walk away.

-Always ask for their accreditation endorsed by the NSW Department of Fair Trading as a contractor licence or qualified supervisor certificate in roof plumbing if they are unwilling, do not allow the job to commence.

-Contact the Department of Fair Trading on 13 3220 to ensure the legitimacy of the company the scammer purports to be working for.

-You don’t need to discuss your financial situation with your roofer nor do they need to know what you do for a living. These scammers feed off this information.

-Do not allow them in your home if you are on your own.

-Casually talk to neighbours, friends and family that live in the area to see if they recommend a roofing company that they’ve used.

-Make sure the roofer gets on the roof to look around and provide you of photos of any damage or repairs needed while he/she is up there. Do not employ any roofer that fails to do this.

-Have as many questions ready about roofing installation ready on paper and ask them. If they can’t answer the questions or their answers seem shaded, question it or even forbid the job.

-Never sign anything on the spot or make a down payment. Do not hand over cash to these people.

-Never go with the scammer into a car to be driven to the bank to withdraw cash on the spot.

-Always take note of the registration of the vehicle the scammers are using if possible. Get a description of the vehicle to pass onto Police.