DORSET Police has been targeting unscrupulous workmen and bogus callers in a national day of action.

The aim of operation Rogue Trader was to target doorstep callers who offer over-priced, low quality work, usually to vulnerable or elderly members of the community.

The day of action saw Dorset Police work together with trading standards officers as well as representatives from the Department for Work and Pensions, Revenue and Customs, the Environment Agency and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency to crackdown on suspected rogue traders.

Two vehicle checkpoints were set up on the A31 and A35 using Automatic Number Plate Recognition.

Advice and information about rogue trading was also given to local communities through Safer Neighbourhood Teams during the course of the day, as well as to traders stop-ped at the vehicle checkpoints.

On Wednesday, six people were arrested. These arrests included two men from Bridport, aged 23 and 35, a 71-year-old man from Gillingham and a 36-year-old- man from Shaftesbury.

All four of these men were arrested for trading standards offences. Two 27-year-olds – one man and one woman, both from Poole – were arrested for drugs offences.

Det Supt Steve Bartlett said: “Doorstep crime targets some of the most vulnerable members of our communities and we are sending a clear message of our on-going commitment to stamp it out.”

  • Anyone with information about rogue traders should call Dorset Police on 01202 222222 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

And consumers who have been the victim of shoddy workmanship or mis-selling should phone Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06.