Police in Spelthorne are urging the public to stay on their guard after elderly and vulnerable residents in Sunbury-on-Thames have been recently contacted by cold callers.

A number of residents have been visited by cold callers representing security companies and saying that there they are selling burglar alarms as part of a burglary campaign in the area.

Company Representatives give residents the impression that the alarm is sponsored and supported by Surrey Police and that the alarm itself is free, but that the lifetime monitoring service costs in excess of £2000.

Surrey Police has received several reports of such incidents.

Spelthorne Neighbourhood Inspector Ian St. John said: "Fortunately on these occasions no one signed up to the offer and no money was handed over but these unwanted calls can be extremely distressing for elderly people, often trying to catch them off guard and convince them to have security systems installed that they may not want or need.

"I would like to make it clear that Surrey Police does not endorse any alarm or security companies and we would urge residents to treat any free offers with caution as there may be hidden costs for monitoring.It is also worth noting that by law cold callers must offer a seven-day cooling off period before starting any work. If members of the public are considering buying an alarm they should avoid cold callers and preferably obtain a number of quotes from reputable companies. Surrey Police can provide advice about crime prevention, which could include a visit from our Crime Prevention Officer.

"The Safer Neighbourhood Teams across the borough are aware of the recent reports and we are working closely with our colleagues at Surrey Trading Standards to monitor any reports of cold calling.”

Anyone with concerns about companies should call Trading Standards' consumer direct on 0845 4040506.