National Grid is warning people
not to handover cash to bogus callers after an incident in which two men tried
to get a householder to part with £1,500.
The two men, who wore high
visibility jackets and hard hats and claimed to be from a company called North
London Drainage, called on a property in Barnet this week. The men told the
resident that nearby drains had collapsed due to vibrations which they claimed
came from work being carried out by the North London Gas Alliance in the
area.
The men said they had been
employed to ensure that damage did not occur and then asked the occupier for a
cash payment of £1,500.
Kevin Blundell, Operations
Manager of the North London Gas Alliance, a partnership between National Grid
and Skanska, said: “We have no record of any damage to drains in the area caused
by our work and we have had no dealings with any company by the name of North
London Drainage.
“The public is not charged
directly for our gas mains replacement work and any work or repairs associated
with it. If they are asked for money this request should be refused and the
matter reported to the police and ourselves as soon as possible.”
Mr Blundell added: “All
National Grid and North London Gas Alliance employees carry official identity
cards which they should show to people before entering their property.
“People should not let anyone
in if an official identity card is not available for inspection. People should
examine the identification card thoroughly before admitting anyone and if they
have any concerns they should call our helpline on 0800 096 5678 to verify the
caller’s identity. Our engineers will be happy to wait for someone to verify
their identity.”
If anyone thinks they are being
burgled they should call the police immediately on 999.
Police have been informed about the incident
anyone with any information regarding the bogus callers should contact police on
101.
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This report was sent to the Barnet Eye from a verified National Grid Press Officer. The number in the message is a freephone 0800 number
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