Residents Urged Not to Part With Money On Their Doorsteps

A resident of Bedford Park has reported an incident when "a personable young black man" thought to be in his mid-twenties knocked on her door claiming to be an Arsenal reserve who lived in the same street.

The neatly dressed man claimed to be raising money for Cancer Research through a "who scores the most goals" charity event and showed a sponsorship form with Arsenal logo.

The resident, who relayed the story on the forum, explained that she was caught off guard and realised she had fallen for the con she discovered that the ma did not live at the house he said he did and that the sponsorship form was a fake.

It would appear from the forum thread that this is not the first time this con has been tried and is not confined to the Bedford Park area.

Sgt Liz Huggins of Chiswick Homefields Safer Neighbourhood Team said "Do not give money to anyone who comes knocking at your door unless you are completely satisfied with their identity and the cause they are collecting for. If you are not happy,and you believe that the person is acting suspiciously, then please take their description, as full as possible and notify the police. If you call us at the time by dialing 999 we will be able to act immediately on the information.

"If you don't want to call police immediately, then please contact your local safer neighbourhood team with the information so that they can then keep an eye out for the person concerned.
I will pass this information onto ringmaster so that an alert can be put out."

Queries should be directed to Sgt Liz Huggins on 07900 656695

April 30, 2007