The Blandford Blog

Following a wave of complaints from householders, about companies ringing up and offering free alarms, Dorset police have issued a warning.

The companies offer a free alarm but also ask about the home owners existing home security. While these may be legitimate companies, you should never give details about your home security to strangers who ring you up out of the blue.

Many of the phone calls also claim the company is endorsed by Dorset Police. A police spokesman said “Dorset Police do not endorse any particular companies and companies who make false or misleading claims can commit offences and should be generally avoided by the public”.

If you are interested in upgrading your home security you should get at least three quotes from fully credited, reputable security providers. You should also make sure any products you are interested in comply with current British ad European standards. Never entertain any business that cold calls, either by phone or at the door. If you do get a cold caller a polite “No thank you” is all you need then either put the phone down or close the door.

If you are interested in a product from a cold caller then take that persons name and contact details. Then shop around and compare the product with similar products available from other companies.

How’s this for the ideal job. A man has advertised a job, paying £7 per hour plus expenses, and the job is to go drinking in the local pub to keep his father company. I suppose the “plus expenses” means you get your beer and crisps paid for!

The advert was posted in a New Forest Post Office by the son of a man who has just moved to the area and is missing his drinking pals. Not surprisingly there were 10 applicants ranging from 16 years old to 78 years old.

A spokesman for Age Concern said that it is a very common problem for the elderly. As they get older their friends get less and if they have to move they can end up isolated and lonely. This man is to be commended for using his initiative in placing the advert.

I agree, and do hope one of the applicants is suitable and the old gentleman finds a new friend too.

Poole council have just been caught spying on a 3 year old girl and her family for nearly three weeks. They did this because the little girl’s parents put her name down for a school and the council wanted to see if she lived in the catchments area for that school. So they send someone to spy on her, and her family!

The council defend spying on this family, taking photographs, making notes about their movements etc. by saying they are allowed to under the RIPA laws.

These laws were designed to track terrorists and criminals, not people applying for a place at a primary school! The Home Office web site says this about the RIPA laws.

“The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) legislates for using methods of surveillance and information gathering to help the prevention of crime, including terrorism.”

No mention of using it to validate a school place application!

These councils have over stepped the mark and should be stopped.