Issued By North Yorkshire County Council

HARROGATE WOMAN THREATENED BY TARMAC GANG

TRADING STANDARDS officers in North Yorkshire are investigating another tarmac gang scam.

A Harrogate woman thought it was too good to be true when a caller offered to fill some potholes in her drive with some tarmac 'left over from a job down the road'.

Unfortunately, it was too good to be true.

When the shoddy job was finished £7,500 was demanded. She refused to pay and following threats, called the police. While the tarmac gang fled before the police arrived, that didn’t stop them making follow up threatening phone calls.

Now trading standards officers from North Yorkshire County Council are investigating the matter.

Councillor Carl Les, the county council's executive member with responsibility for trading standards said: "If a deal seems to good to be true then it invariably is. Every day, trading standards and police services receive calls of this type. The only real protection householders have is to firmly say no to doorstep callers.

"There are no bargains to be had and while the authorities will always do everything they can to investigate and apprehend these criminals they are usually very difficult to find and the chances of recovering consumers money small.”

30-5-'03

Contact: Graham Venn on 01609-766408

Executive member: Councillor Carl Les (Con) 01677-423702 Mob: 07860-639600

Group spokespeople: Councillor Mrs Caroline Seymour (Lib-Dem) 01642-710382, Councillor Steve Shaw-Wright (Lab) 01757-708849