HAMPSHIRE police have taken part in a national crackdown against rogue traders.

Rogue traders and forceful doorstep sellers across the UK were the target of a UK-wide day of action last Wednesday, May 10.

This is the 12th year that multi-agency partners have targeted rogue traders and highlighted the dangers that consenting to have work carried out by cold callers can bring.

The day of action was the centre of a week of activities being led by police and trading standards services.

The campaign was run by Operation Liberal (Police National Intelligence Unit) tackling cross border criminality. Hampshire Constabulary is a consortium member of Operation Liberal.

The unit used to concentrate on door step crime, including distraction burglary and rogue trader offences, however it now pro-actively targets offenders and has the expertise to tackle door step crime.

Detective Chief Inspector Justin Torgout, said: “We work hard throughout the year to protect our vulnerable residents and disrupt the activities of these doorstep criminals.

“This week of action with Operation Liberal, which links crimes and gathers intelligence on suspects and organised crime groups who travel extensively across the UK, is a great opportunity for us to engage with our communities in targeted crime prevention activities.

"Our message to residents is clear: Not Sure? Don’t open the door!”

For more information from the police about this type of crime prevention, visit: https://www.hampshire.police.uk/advice/protecting-your-home-and-belongings/burglary/