The city of Portsmouth is set to have the first UK city-wide cold-calling control area, in order to prevent cases of distraction or related burglaries.
Thieves often gain access to private homes by pretending to be cold-callers in order to distract the occupiers or force their way in.
Portsmouth City Council therefore set a pilot scheme in five no cold-calling zones that led to a 100 per cent ban on distraction burglaries and 90 per cent drop in dwelling burglaries.
The council will now extend the 'Cold Calling Control Area' to the whole city.
Although schemes to reduce cold-calling have been piloted in other UK cities and towns, this is the first time it will be applied to the city as a whole.
Unlike in the five pilot areas in Portsmouth, however, the city will not impose a blanket ban, but will instead allow residents to be informed and promote awareness of their right to say no to cold-callers.
In a survey after the scheme was first set up in Portsmouth, 99 per cent of residents agreed they would recommend the plan to residents in other zones.
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