THE streets of Halesowen are being turned into a no-go zone for bogus-callers in a joint operation between police and trading standards officers.

Neighbourhood officers in Belle Vale and Hayley Green, along with Dudley Council’s trading standards team, have been offering crime prevention advice to residents living in streets that have previously been targeted by bogus-callers and rogue traders.

The first of the action days took place last Wednesday and saw officers check 23 people who were carrying out work on properties within the area to check they were trading legally.

Signs are also going up in the area warning rogue traders they will be reported if they ‘cold call’ in the new No Rogue Trader Zone.

Leaflets are being delivered advising residents to be alert to people turning up unannounced and pressing them to get costly and unnecessary work carried out on their homes.

Sergeant Heather Sloan said pest control, path cleaning and hedge trimming are just some of the common cons with other fraudsters claiming to be carrying out water main repairs or even posing as police officers.

She added: “Working with trading standards has enabled us to flood over 15 streets across the area offering crime prevention advice and reassurance to those who need it."