Essex Police first mentioned about “Nottingham Knockers” in the area on 5th February. Members of the Sawbridgeworth Facebook page reported they had the same visits on Sheering Lower Road and Cambridge Road this evening, Friday 15th February. The police note that Nottingham Knockers are not part of any recognised rehabilitation scheme.

The Government-backed Community Payback scheme does NOT involve door-to-door sales.

They will try to sell you items, and the bag of household products is supplied by someone who employs them. The lads are supplied with a full bag of household products (including the typical tea-towels!) and charged a minimal sum for the contents – it used to be £35-50. They can keep whatever they make, above this amount.

Usually they are deposited in an area from a transit van and given a list of streets to work. An hour or so later they are picked up and dropped off in another location. They often work from 9am to 9pm.

They will knock on a door, offering cleaning items which they know are cheap and of very poor quality; the householder also knows they are rubbish but that is part of the scam.

Many people will purchase items and pay them something, just to get rid of them. There have been cases of elderly residents handing over large sums as these lads can be very persistent and confrontational.

This Is The Scam Part

The price for whatever has been purchased usually comes to a note – usually £10. The householder disappears to get this – this is when the scam begins, When the note is handed over, the lad examines the condition and how long it took the person to get it.

If it is crumpled, they accept it and move on. If it is crisp flat and new and likely to come from a pile of new notes – they are much more interested and may engage the person in more conversation, to obtain details about them.

As they leave they will smell the note. If it is slightly musty, as in stored in a cupboard or under a mattress – this is an indication that there is more in the property. Those addresses are “noted”. The addresses of elderly / vulnerable / gullible people are all noted.

It has been reported that occasionally “noted addresses” are sold in prisons or pubs and revisited later and the occupiers can find themselves the victims of burglaries.

Report Anything Suspicious

If you experience this or anything suspicious, please report it by calling the police on 101 (non-emergency line). Also please let us know about too by emailing help@leatclose.org.uk as we would like to warn all residents.