2LT Local News

KATOOMBA, Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia – Blue Mountains police are warning local residents throughout the region to beware of a major scam operating locally and beyond.

A group of people, all Irish, are posing as roof repairers offering to carry out work on homes and business premises. They are not genuine builders and do not carry out repairs, they simply collect money for proposed works and then disappear.

Blue Mountains police say that while the scam is occurring with some frequency in the area, the Irish scammers are part of a group that is carrying out similar scams in other parts of New South Wales, and in Queensland.

In 2015 three Irish men were caught in the act in the West Australian capital of Perth and all received jail terms. As part of the investigation into the scam in that state, 26 people were arrested initially, nineteen of which were women and children.

The court in Perth was told the Irish men targeted the elderly, some of their victims being in their 90s. They woiuld arrive at people’s homes and offer to inspect their roof. They would then go up to the roof and damage it, before telling the owner it was in need of repairs. They would then offer to drive the homeowner to their bank to withdraw cash to pay the men. One of their victims was duped out of $22,000.

Blue Mountains police advise that if anyone, particularly an Irish person comes knocking at your door and telling you that your roof needs to be repaired and asking for money, not to hand over any money. Rather to take photos and record any registration plates, and contact either Springwood Police on (02) 47510299 or Katoomba Police on (02) 828199 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.