Fraudsters pose as fake NHS workers to access homes in Doncaster

Callous crooks have posed as fake NHS workers targetting vulnerable people to access their homes carrying out bogus ‘Covid-19 checks’ and vaccine call-outs in Doncaster.
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SYP Doncaster Superintendent Neil Thomas said the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in a decrease in residential burglary but fraud, domestic violence and neighbours reporting others for potential breaches of social distancing violations.

Supt Thomas said there had been an increase in criminals targeting vulnerable people in the form of fake NHS staff ‘testing for Covid-19 in the home’ and to assess their eligibility for vaccinations.

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The police chief also said the force had come into contact with more instances of online fraud with people not going to shops as much in person.

Crooks have posed as fake NHS workers targetting vulnerable people to access their homes in Doncaster.Crooks have posed as fake NHS workers targetting vulnerable people to access their homes in Doncaster.
Crooks have posed as fake NHS workers targetting vulnerable people to access their homes in Doncaster.

Councillors in a recent meeting also heard an increase in anti-social behaviour was partly down to neighbours reporting potential Covid-19 rule breaches.

Overall, figures show a decrease in criminal activity in Doncaster by around six per cent on the previous year – mainly due to numerous lockdowns and Covid-19 regulations.

New figures seen by councillors also show reported crime was rising before the national lockdown in March but fell dramatically by the end of April.

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When comparing 2019 to 2020 on a month to month basis, crime fell in every month bar January February and September.

Crime in Doncaster fell by nearly six per cent on the previous year. In 2019, there were 37,911 reported crimes compared to 35,850 during 2020.

Supt Thomas said: “We do have a pattern of burglaries in Doncaster that occurred during the day when people were out of work. So clearly the fact that we’re in a lockdown has meant that more people at home and burglary has reduced during periods of lockdown.

“But we have seen some increase in crime towards the vulnerable and unfortunately, we have seen people masquerading as NHS workers preying on the vulnerable and the elderly, going into their homes.

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“They’re doing this on the pretence of testing their homes for Covid-19 or checking on them for their eligibility for vaccinations – that has led to a small increase in offences against the vulnerable.”