Saanich police are looking for a persistent scammer who tried to take advantage of an elderly woman in the Gorge area.
The man knocked on the woman’s door Monday evening with an offer to clean the windows and gutters and remove moss from the roof for a cash payment of $35. The woman declined the offer several times, but the scammer kept at it and began to pressure her by saying his wife was ill and his family needed money.
He asked to borrow a ladder to assess the roof, and when the woman turned him down, he said he would be back after dark with his own ladder.
The man claimed to live in the neighbourhood but did not provide an address and had no business cards.
The next evening, the woman’s son spotted the man at the front door. When the son approached him, the man said he was dropping off a bill for roof spraying — something that had not been done. The man left quickly.
Police said such scams often target seniors. Legitimate companies offering the sort of services involved rarely go door-to-door, and do not ask for cash payments in advance.
The suspect in this case is described as white, five-foot-eight and 35 to 45 years old with a thin face, hollow cheeks and short brown hair.
Saanich police urge anyone who has recently dealt with a similar situation to call them at 250-475-4321.
