CONMEN posing as roofers and builders have cheated almost £1m out of vulnerable and elderly people across Oxfordshire in the last 12 months.

In the past year, trading standards have been alerted to rogue traders 276 times.

They have conned their way to £923,000 over this time, usually from elderly and vulnerable people.

Trading standards have been able to claw back about £85,000 for their victims.

Just hours into the operation on Monday, police arrested a 59-year-old man on suspicion of fraud after being called by a pensioner near Wallingford.

Martin Woodley, of trading standards’ doorstep crime team, said: “We have been out around the county targeting the known areas where these people are likely to be.

“We are looking for some good results and to get a picture about what is going on.

“People need to know that police and trading standards are here not just this week but all year round.

“Victims should not be afraid or embarrassed if they get caught out. If you call us and tell us where they are, we will get out and arrest these people.”

Rogue traders often target elderly or vulnerable residents and charge them thousands of pounds for work which is usually shoddy, or not even carried out.

Crews have been on the streets this week trying to catch a number of known targets in the act.

Trading standards have also been using new number plate recognition cameras to track and follow vehicles rogue traders use.

They spent the week visiting homes of people believed to be behind doorstep crime.

Pc Paul Rowland, of the rogue trader unit, said: “We are looking for suspicious groups of people carrying out work on homes.

“Often we find large groups doing a small amount of work. They could be doing work on the driveway or a roof and have ladders and vehicles. These kinds of things draw attention.”

Within hours of hitting the streets, the team was alerted by a 69-year-old woman claiming a man had visited her home near Wallingford.

She told police he had demanded £1,850 for roofing work she had not asked for and he had not carried out.

When a man visited the house at 2.30pm he was arrested on suspicion of fraud. He was bailed, pending further inquiries.

If you are visited by a suspicious caller, call 999.

Anyone with information on rogue traders should call police on 08458 505505 or Oxfordshire County Council Trading Standards doorstep crime team on 0845 051 0845.