North Yorkshire Police are warning people across York and North Yorkshire to be on their guard against cold callers claiming to be carrying out roof repairs.

Members of the public in Selby, and now Haxby in York, have reported incidents of elderly residents being targeted by two men claiming to have seen a bird fly into their roof.

On two occasions the men have offered to go into the loft to get the bird out and check for damage. The men then offer to repair the damage – caused by themselves – at an inflated price.

In other incidents, the men have approached the elderly residents with the same story about a bird flying into their eaves. They go up their ladders to check it out and come back down within in few minutes claiming to have moved the bird and then demand a fee from the elderly person.
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