Bogus Refuse Collectors in Rye

Throughout the winter months cyclists and hikers have been noticing rubbish, obviously dumped when the growth was high, appearing in hedges and ditches all over Romney Marsh and in woodland areas everywhere.

Now the people who are using the countryside as a rubbish tip have got even bolder, Sergeant Warren Downs of the Neighbourhood Policing Team reports that bogus refuse collectors duped a Rye resident into paying £25 to remove an unwanted sofa and chairs from outside her property, only to dump them in another road nearby.

The incident happened on Tuesday (5 May) in Pottingfield Road, Rye, when three men purporting to be council employees said they could dispose of the unwanted items. But the tricksters simply dumped the furniture in Cooper Road on the same estate. Sergeant Warren Downs said:

“While the resident believed that the men would take away the items, our advice would be to contact the Rother District Council.

“It can, for a fee, arrange for the legitimate removal of unwanted items and dispose of them safely.” Anyone who noticed the men, a vehicle or anything else suspicious, or who has been similarly approached, is asked to email [email protected] or phone 101, quoting serial 882 of 5/5. Alternatively they can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers without having to leave their name on 0800 555 111.

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