A man has been jailed for over two years after scamming elderly and vulnerable people.
Duncan Johnstone, 30, was sentenced to 28 months in prison this week following a number of bogus caller incidents in Ayrshire.
Johnstone was convicted of four counts of fraud after targeting elderly and vulnerable householders across Ayrshire in March.
He would claim to be a gardener or window cleaner and ask for money for services or repairs that were never provided or undertaken.
The victims were left both financially poorer but also scared for their own safety.
Inspector Alison Wilson, of Saltcoats police office, said: “These crimes gained Duncan Johnstone only a few hundred pounds but has had a massive impact on the victims, who have been left distrustful, embarrassed and scared as a result of his actions.
“Across Ayrshire officers work tirelessly with partners to tackle doorstep criminality, either through education or enforcement. These criminals target our most vulnerable members of the community and I would ask that we look out for each other.
“This fortnight Police Scotland and Trading Standards Scotland are running their Shut Out Scammers campaign which aims to reduce the impact of doorstep crime by providing information and advice on how to spot the signs, and avoid becoming another victim.”
Further information on Shut Out Scammers can be found here: http://ow.ly/QkC050Abbe2
To report an incident or suspicious activity, contact Police on 101 (in an emergency contact 999), while information can be passed anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
