POLICE have given a warning for the second month running about conmen operating in Wellington targeting elderly people.

PC Haydn Smith told Wellington town councillors at their February meeting that

six burglaries had taken place at Oldway Park, Humphreys Road and Grange Close during January, including one distraction burglary.

In response police were carrying out high visibility patrols in those areas to try to stop further offences and were looking at introducing Neighbourhood Watch schemes and no cold calling zones as well.

His advice was that if residents received a cold call they should ring the police and ‘we will check on them’.

The number of crimes in Wellington had risen to 74 compared with 61 in December, including 16 thefts, 15 offences of criminal damage, 12 domestic incidents, nine assaults, nine cases of harassment, two sexual offences, two of fraud and forgery and two of public order.

PC Smith said a large number reports of anti-social behaviour had been made. It was a small gang of young people in the town causing the problems, plus one from Taunton, but it was difficult to prove it was these individuals causing the incidents.

He warned that with the lighter evenings coming, a spike in such problems was likely.