Hertfordshire Constabulary and District Councils are urging local businesses to stay alert following a number of scams involving a man falsely claiming to be from the local council’s licensing department. Three recent incidents occurred in Hemel Hempstead town centre, where a man has visited three different Eastern European supermarkets, falsely claiming that the store had unpaid alcohol licence fees. He demanded immediate payment.
Similar offences have happened in neighbouring counties.
Where premises licences require an annual fee to be paid, this will only ever be requested by way of an official invoice, posted to the licence-holder. Licensing officers will never request a cash payment to be made to them during a visit to a licensed premises. Council officers will also carry and produce ID during any visit, which can and should be checked by contacting the Local Council’s Licensing Office.
Any business that is approached by a person asking for immediate payment of a licence fee should call police immediately on 999.
Anyone who has any information about these incidents should contact PC Miles on the Hertfordshire Constabulary non-emergency number 101, quoting crime reference D1/16/4610.
Alternatively, if you have any information about this or any other crime, you can contact the independent crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or through their Anonymous Online Form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org. No personal details are taken, information cannot be traced or recorded and you will never need to go to court.
Police investigating the incidents have also released an image of a man they would like to speak to in connection with the incident.
Please click on the link below to see the image:
http://www.herts.police.uk/hertfordshire_constabulary/latest_news/news_articles/010716_-_0461_d.aspx
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