Click here to read a Police alert about people who turn up at your door unannounced with the intention of distracting you and tricking their way into your home to steal money or valuables or sell you something you do not want or need. These types of people are often referred to as ‘Nottingham Knockers’, ‘distraction burglars’, ‘bogus callers’ or ‘cold callers’.
The origin of the term comes from historic records where The Sheriff of Nottingham would allow peddlers to have a licence to sell their wares. This tradition has continued and now anyone who wants a peddlers licence must contact their local Chief Constable to apply for a peddlers licence to sell products door to door. One of the conditions are you must not have any convictions. This is why we always stop these door to door sellers as they will tell the householder they have recently come out of prison and trying to earn some honest money. Their licences are usually fake or a copy of an original. They now try to use other tactics such as place orders at the door and take money in advance. This is still peddling and an offence without the correct licence.
Every Constabulary in the country refers to these sellers as Nottingham Knockers. If you search this online there is a massive amount of information all over England and Wales, where these persons are using their sales tactics to eye up potential burglary victims or use the opportunity to gain access to a vulnerable person’s home and steal from them. They will smell the cash given to them to check if it is musty and therefore is most likely stored in the house and not a bank. They will watch where the home owner goes to get their purse or wallet and if distracted will enter the property and commit offences. They are also known to be intimidating and aggressive when challenged.
The best course of action is to say “NO”, shut the door and call police. Better still do not answer the door at all and call the police.