Information on Loughborough

75th No Cold Calling Zone in North West Leicestershire includes an entire village

Posted on 04/08/2009

police,constabulary,leicestershire police 75th No Cold Calling Zone in North West Leicestershire includes an entire village

The entire village of Blackfordby in North West Leicestershire is now part of a ‘No Cold Calling Zone.’ 

All 386 households on 17 streets have agreed to become part of the scheme which is designed to prevent bogus callers trying to con their way into people’s homes.  They use a number of different excuses to try and get into houses but often claim to be from the water board or other utility companies. There are now 75 No Cold Calling Zone’s in North West Leicestershire.  

A No Cold Calling Zone (NCCZ) is marked using street signs at the entrance and exit to the zone and residents are issued with an information pack from Leicestershire Trading Standards explaining how to say no to unwanted callers. The pack also includes door stickers, useful leaflets and contact telephone numbers.  A zone is only set up in an area where careful consideration has been given to the local demographics and historical crime data to make sure it is a proportionate response to past or likely criminal activity.

Eighteen street signs have been put up in Blackfordby to remind people that the area is a No Cold Calling Zone, and that they should not open the door to unexpected, doorstep callers.  Should someone unknown come to the door the will pass the information on to Trading Standards and the police. 

PC Joy Sweet, the neighbourhood beat officer for Blackfordby said; “No Cold Calling Zones are part of our campaign to tackle distraction burglary, and the people who commit these offences. Not one person in the village objected to being part of the scheme as we are delighted that nearly four hundred homes have signed up.  The strength of the scheme lies in the knowledge that everyone on the street feels the same way about unwanted visitors, and has been given advice about how to handle doorstep callers”. 

Leicestershire Trading Standards Team Leader, Graham Coe, said; “The general thinking about zones is that they send a strong message to rogue traders that the local community is standing together to stop cold calling.  They are about community cohesion; everyone understands what the risks are and work together to prevent themselves, and their neighbours, falling victim to door step cons. 

“I would appeal to responsible businesses and charitable organisations to respect the zones and not to go into areas where they are up and running.”