 |
| Cleaning building windows ranked as least favorite job in Taiwan. |
Cleaning building windows ranked as least favorite job in Taiwan (Taipei) - Cleaning the windows and exterior walls of buildings was ranked by Taiwanese workers as their least favorite job, according to a recent poll by 1111 Job Bank. Given a choice of several job categories, 45.4 percent of respondents chose window cleaning as a job they would not be willing to do. Some 41.4 percent chose being a fertilizer worker as an undesirable occupation, followed by 38.2 percent saying they would not want to be a livestock keeper and butcher, and 29.6 percent not wanting to be a maid and caregiver, the poll found.
Rounding out the top 10 least favorite jobs were funeral director and mortuary cosmetologist (selected by 25.4 percent of respondents), sewer worker (24.6 percent), cemetery worker (24.3 percent), mover (23.9 percent), boiler operator (23.6 percent) and nuclear engineering staff (22.9 percent). Lee Ta-hua, director of public relations at the job bank, said the jobs mentioned in the top 10 were the least preferred because they generally involved a harsh or dangerous working environment, even if they offer good pay.
A window and exterior wall cleaner, for example, can earn an average wage of around NT$50,000 (US$1,669) a month, with salaries reaching between NT$70,000 and NT$100,000 a month during peak seasons, Lee said. The starting salary for a Taiwanese college graduate averaged NT$26,722 in 2012. The poll, conducted from July 2-16, collected 1,120 valid samples from workers in Taiwan. It had a confidence level of 95 percent and a margin of error of plus or minus 2.92 percentage points.
Rounding out the top 10 least favorite jobs were funeral director and mortuary cosmetologist (selected by 25.4 percent of respondents), sewer worker (24.6 percent), cemetery worker (24.3 percent), mover (23.9 percent), boiler operator (23.6 percent) and nuclear engineering staff (22.9 percent). Lee Ta-hua, director of public relations at the job bank, said the jobs mentioned in the top 10 were the least preferred because they generally involved a harsh or dangerous working environment, even if they offer good pay.
A window and exterior wall cleaner, for example, can earn an average wage of around NT$50,000 (US$1,669) a month, with salaries reaching between NT$70,000 and NT$100,000 a month during peak seasons, Lee said. The starting salary for a Taiwanese college graduate averaged NT$26,722 in 2012. The poll, conducted from July 2-16, collected 1,120 valid samples from workers in Taiwan. It had a confidence level of 95 percent and a margin of error of plus or minus 2.92 percentage points.
Glass makers suspended over quality: Eight local tempered glass manufacturers were ordered to suspend production after failing quality tests, the city's quality watchdog said yesterday. Their substandard products are now being recalled, added the Shanghai Quality and Technical Supervision Bureau. This follows a spate of incidents in the city involving safety glass shattering. The latest occurred on Monday morning when a 3-square-meter glass door between a Starbucks outlet and other businesses in the Raffles City building at People's Square shattered. No one was injured.
The bureau checked 67 batches of tempered glass for construction use in its latest inspection and found eight had "serious quality problems" which posed safety risks. These included failing tests of fragmentation, surface stress and impact resistance. The Shanghai Shibei Glass Co Ltd failed impact resistance tests. The company says on its website that its glass is used in high-profile locations such as Raffles City, Westgate Mall and Shanghai Railway Station. The Shanghai Mingliang Tempered Glass Co Ltd failed the same test. It also failed fragmentation tests last year.
The eight producers will only be allowed to resume production after passing tests. And sales of their substandard glass have been suspended, said Shen Weimin, deputy director of the bureau. They will also face administrative penalties, Shen said. Monday's incident at Raffles City, which saw Starbucks evacuated, is still being investigated. Shen said the probable cause was poor quality glass in terms of fragmentation, surface stress or impact resistance.
The bureau checked 67 batches of tempered glass for construction use in its latest inspection and found eight had "serious quality problems" which posed safety risks. These included failing tests of fragmentation, surface stress and impact resistance. The Shanghai Shibei Glass Co Ltd failed impact resistance tests. The company says on its website that its glass is used in high-profile locations such as Raffles City, Westgate Mall and Shanghai Railway Station. The Shanghai Mingliang Tempered Glass Co Ltd failed the same test. It also failed fragmentation tests last year.
The eight producers will only be allowed to resume production after passing tests. And sales of their substandard glass have been suspended, said Shen Weimin, deputy director of the bureau. They will also face administrative penalties, Shen said. Monday's incident at Raffles City, which saw Starbucks evacuated, is still being investigated. Shen said the probable cause was poor quality glass in terms of fragmentation, surface stress or impact resistance.
Window Cleaner Accused of Stealing From Arlington, Fairfax Homes. Arlington police are asking for the public's assistance in locating Justin Honaker. A 33-year-old Falls Church man is wanted in connection with a series of residential thefts across Arlington and Fairfax counties. Arlington police are asking for the public's assistance in locating Justin Honaker. Investigators believe Honaker, who worked as a business and residential window cleaner, stole jewelry and prescription drugs from multiple Arlington and Fairfax County residences during work hours. He is wanted on charges of grand larceny and larceny with intent to sell, according to the Arlington County Police Department.
An exact number of victims wasn't available Monday afternoon, though police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck said it's likely additional victims have yet to be identified. "We're just scratching the surface of this," Sternbeck told Patch. Honaker is about 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weighs about 185 pounds, according to police. Police are asking anyone with information on Honaker's whereabouts to contact Arlington Detective Patricia Pena at 703-228-4183 or ppena@arlingtonva.us. To report information anonymously, call the Arlington County Crime Solvers at 866-411-8477. Investigators are also asking anyone who believes they may have been a victim or anyone who had Honaker inside their home during a window cleaning job to contact Pena at the number or email above.
Revealed: How some Welsh MPs are earning thousands extra as storm rages over 10% salary hike: Calls are growing for a ban on MPs taking on consultancies and directorships as it emerged some Welsh MPs are legitimately earning up to £110,000 a year from second jobs – on top of their £66,000 parliamentary salaries. Latest records from the House of Commons show one Welsh MP receives £9,167 a month for 14 hours’ moonlighting – at a rate of £654 per hour – while another is paid £30,000 a year for a weekly column in a London-based newspaper. Among those profiting from political surveys was Carmarthen West and Pembrokeshire South Conservative MP Simon Hart, who completed seven surveys for £75 each, with each one taking “15 minutes” to fill in. Mr Hart said politicians such as himself saw the job as “an opportunity to give something back rather than an opportunity to earn a few bucks and climb up a greasy political pole.” He compared his outdoor education role to that of a firefighter who has a sideline as a window cleaner on a Saturday morning.
A quarter of cleaning firms are breaking the law: Over 25% of cleaning firms are breaking the law, according to an investigation by the social affairs and employment inspection agency SZW. Inspectors visited 1,450 cleaning firms last year, together with representatives of the tax authority, local councils and benefit agency UWV, and found that 27% are not keeping to the rules. Most of the offences occurred in small firms with under 50 workers, which are mainly active in the fast-food sector, transport, construction, hotels and window cleaning for private homes, the NRC reports.
Fraud Offences included benefit and tax fraud, incomplete bookkeeping, low pay and exploitation. The inspectors also discovered 324 illegal workers: 41% from Bulgaria and 21% from Romania. In total, €37m was recovered or charged in fines. Large cleaning companies affiliated to the sector organisation are much less likely to break the law, the NRC reports. Last year saw a series of strikes by cleaning workers organised by the trade unions because of the poor pay and conditions.
Grit-blasting robots clean Sydney Harbour Bridge: Australia is using two grit-blasting robots to clean the Sydney Harbour Bridge before it is repainted. The robots shoot out compressed air to cut through rust and old paint on the famous Australian landmark. The exercise is billed as one of the world's biggest maintenance programmes. Cleaning the bridge is considered dangerous, forcing workers into uncomfortable poses and bringing risk of exposure to asbestos and old paint.
The robots, which were developed at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS), operate by scanning the area, creating a 3D map, and working out how much force they should apply using high-pressure cleaners to strip paint from the bridge. "We now have two [operational], autonomous grit-blasting robots on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which is a world-first technology," Martin Lloyd from UTS said, adding that the blasters on the robots were powerful enough to slice through people's clothes and skin.
The operation is the result of a collaboration between the university and Australia's Roads and Maritime Service. "The job [of cleaning the bridge] is very risky [for humans] - the bridge vibrates because of the traffic and it has complex geography - which is why we approached UTS to see if a machine could do this kind of work," Waruna Kaluarachchi from the Roads and Maritime Service said. Nicknamed "The Coathanger" because of its distinctive shape, the bridge was opened in March 1932. Repainting work is a never-ending task, and the two robots are to remain a permanent part of the maintenance team, our correspondent adds. Video recommended at link.
 |
| Herb Madara (right) with his wife, Kate, daughter, Charley, son, Herbie and employees, Michael Wright (far left) and Michael Huber, opened a local franchised window and exterior cleaning company called Men In Kilts whose employees wear kilts while they work. |
Abington man ditches the hard hat, dons the kilt - Herb Madara’s doctor delivered the news a few years ago: If he kept working his physically demanding job as an electrical lineman, he’d need a knee replacement by the time he was 40. It was a troubling announcement for Madara, the father of two young children who was counting on his career to support his family. But ultimately, Madara ditched the hard hat and utility uniform for something a bit more fashionable.. a kilt. The kilt is all part of the package at Men In Kilts Window Cleaning, the franchise that Madara bought into after leaving his job as a lineman. Madara, 35, admits he was a bit skeptical when he first came across the idea. “I thought it was crazy,” the Abington resident said. “Who would do this? And then as I looked more and more into it, I thought it was awesome. (Window washing) is an untapped market. And I knew the kilts would be a hit.”
 |
| Herb Madara opened a local franchised window and exterior cleaning company called Men In Kilts whose employees wear kilts while they work. |
 |
| Michael Wright, Hatboro, works for men in Kilts, a franchised window and exterior cleaning company whose employees wear kilts while they work. |
Patrick Casey, owner of Vintage in Abington, said the kilt-clad cleaners have the restaurant’s windows sparkling monthly. “(The kilts are) a great marketing tool,” he said. “And they do great work.” Madara leaves most of the cleaning to his crew, which includes brother Mike Huber, “Big Mike” Wright and Ryan Barhart. But he’s at most sites overseeing the work. And Madara’s wife, Kate, and children Charley, 7, and Herbie, 17 months, wear their own kilts to help market the business. As for the answer to the age-old question of what’s under the kilt? Madara isn’t exactly telling. “What’s under our kilts is a whole lotta’ confidence,” he said. “But of course, when we’re on ladders, no peeking.”
Groovy grandads: Charlie Sheen has just become a grandad at 47. We meet other young grandpas who are down with the kids. Grandad of four Johnny Cooney (44), a window cleaner from Dundalk, says he's only too happy to help with nappies and night feeds. "When you first find out you're going to be a grandparent, it's a bit of a shock. "At 39, I remember joking with my eldest daughter Derval: 'I'm too young to be a grandad!' Secretly though, I couldn't wait. "Now I have four grandchildren: Lee (5), Jay (4), Tara-Lynn (3) and Penny-Rose (7 months).
"As a dad-of-five myself, I have great time for the kids. Your first grandchild is a bit like starting all over again. "They all live close enough by, so I can help out with the school run and babysitting. Or if I'm going somewhere and they want to come with me, it's no bother. "I'd like to think I'm a good grandad. I'm very close to all four children. Like most grandads though, your granddaughters are your little princesses!
"When we're out and they call me 'grandad', some people do look twice. But I just laugh it off. As a young grandad, with any luck, you get more time with your grandchildren. You get to see them growing up. "When my grandkids are in their 20s, I'll still only be in my 60s and able to do stuff with them. "I know lots of people who are older than me and don't have any children or grandchildren, so I consider myself very lucky."
 |
| A worker from the company that washes the exterior of the facility is trying to put a smile on patients’ faces. Boston has its very own super hero—one with the superhuman power of cleaning windows and making sick kids smile. |
 |
| Click to enlarge. |
Boston Children's Hospital: A Guy Dressed As Spider-Man Is Now Cleaning the Windows At Boston Children’s Hospital. This week, Boston Children’s staff decided to take a new approach to getting the outside of their facility looking spotless while easing the minds of young patients. Using their contracted cleaning company, Hub Window Cleaning, representatives from the hospital worked out a deal to have one of the window-washers wear a Spider-Man outfit as he took care of his job. “He was pumped to do it, he was definitely excited. We did a test run last week, and he was a really good sport. He has been waving at the kids who were on the inside, and it has been pretty cool for not just the patients, but the staff is also excited,” said Lily Albin, the social media specialist at the hospital.
Albin said this is the first time Boston Children’s has tried this technique, offering an uplifting experience along with some of the other programs they’ve rolled out for children staying with them for extended periods of time. She said all day Monday, as Spider-Man scaled the side of the building, children crowded around the windows to watch the superhero at work. “[It] makes it a little extra fun. Any time we can do something fun for our patients that are here all day everyday, and get a little more excitement—we do that in a number of ways—I think anytime we can add that element it’s always a nice thing to do,” she said. She said the hospital may consider bringing in some other superhero figures—like Captain America or Batman—to help get the job done in the future. The window washing at Boston Children’s is done once a month.
The decision to try the costumed approach, which she said was appreciated by hospital staff considering the summer heat, was part of a brainstorming project led by the hospital’s Patient Support Services division. The idea was taken right out of the book of other children’s hospitals around the country. The superhero surprise has been something facilities in Philadelphia, and the Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis have been doing. People hanging around outside of the Boston hospital on Monday managed to spot Spider-Man way up high, scaling the building, as he tended to his window-cleaning duties. Others also tweeted about seeing the Spider-man-costume clad worker walking along the rooftop of the hospital, wondering if it was just an uber-comic fan. Turns out, it was a superhero of a different kind.
Is it goodbye to cash? Cash still governs the world of small businesses but new technology means this could soon change, writes Global Payments UK's Chris Davies (pictured). As digital technology becomes more ingrained in our way of life there is a gradual shift underway to paying by plastic. Few of us would find it strange to pay for a coffee or a few groceries by card, especially now that contactless cards are so commonplace. However, one space that has remained governed by paper money is the world of mobile businesses. Despite handling, in some instances, relatively large amounts of money window cleaners, florists, hairdressers and handymen are still often paid in cash. This is despite growing demand from both business and customers for card payments as wider usage of plastic grows. For mobile businesses cash has an invisible but heavy cost; in banking, security and even the complications of tracking cashflow through the business. In addition, mobile businesses can often miss sales from customers who are not carrying cash and have to refuse card payments.
A recent survey of 1,000 micro-businesses (those with 10 employees or less, of which there are 4.6 million in the UK) conducted on behalf of Intuit found that only 19% accepted cards but 50% wished they could. So why have window cleaners, for example, historically not been able to accept cards? Card acceptance has been difficult for small businesses owing to a number of factors - cost and complexity being the most significant. One of the main barriers is the unpredictability of how many customers they will have paying by card, and the small size of transactions overall, both of which make signing up to a subscription package unworkable. Card processing usually works by paying a monthly subscription fee to a provider, as well as renting a terminal. Some businesses might only need to take one card payment a week for example, which makes these costs unrealistically expensive. These elements have combined to keep card payments as the preserve of larger companies.
However, technology now looks set to democratise card payments for small businesses, no matter how tiny they are. The catalyst here has been the explosion in the use of sophisticated internet-enabled smartphones. With a small, inexpensive card reader and downloadable app the device can be turned into a chip and PIN compliant card terminal. The reader "talks" to the phone through a Bluetooth connection and the cardholder enters their pin on the device. The cardholder's details are kept as safe as a regular terminal that you might expect to use in a supermarket or restaurant. This is an interesting development because it means that the individual effectively supplies their own hardware - instantly cutting the rental costs that small businesses find difficult to bear. Instead, most of these new payment systems require only an upfront investment in a card reader with PIN pad (usually at around £49) then fees of around 2.75% per transaction.
Relative to the cost of handling cash and lost custom from not being able to accept cards this level of fee introduces a realistic card payment option where none have existed before. As new entrants such as Intuit and PayPal bring their solutions to the market 2013 could be the year that card payments finally reach the great and the good of small businesses. Next time the window cleaner calls you may find yourself reaching for your card to pay rather than your loose change.
However, technology now looks set to democratise card payments for small businesses, no matter how tiny they are. The catalyst here has been the explosion in the use of sophisticated internet-enabled smartphones. With a small, inexpensive card reader and downloadable app the device can be turned into a chip and PIN compliant card terminal. The reader "talks" to the phone through a Bluetooth connection and the cardholder enters their pin on the device. The cardholder's details are kept as safe as a regular terminal that you might expect to use in a supermarket or restaurant. This is an interesting development because it means that the individual effectively supplies their own hardware - instantly cutting the rental costs that small businesses find difficult to bear. Instead, most of these new payment systems require only an upfront investment in a card reader with PIN pad (usually at around £49) then fees of around 2.75% per transaction.
Relative to the cost of handling cash and lost custom from not being able to accept cards this level of fee introduces a realistic card payment option where none have existed before. As new entrants such as Intuit and PayPal bring their solutions to the market 2013 could be the year that card payments finally reach the great and the good of small businesses. Next time the window cleaner calls you may find yourself reaching for your card to pay rather than your loose change.
The Rise of Virtual Retirement Villages: Each virtual retirement community varies depending on the people involved, but they share some common traits: They offer a list of preferred service providers for residents. That makes it easy for residents to hire any vendor, from an arborist to a window washer, knowing they have been vetted by the community. Nearly a quarter of village members need help with household chores, and about 14% require assistance for personal care, the Rutgers study finds.
New research reveals that car salesmen have the priciest profession when it comes to getting car insurance. According to Confused.com, data analysed over the past 12 months to March 2013 showed that motor traders’ annual premiums top an astonishing £10,000. The results also revealed that car salesmen pay 13 times more than the average annual cost for fully comprehensive cover. But it’s not just vehicle salesmen who receive these high insurance quotes. The data also revealed that ‘car valeting’ is the second most expensive profession, with an annual cost of £4,943 to cover their vehicle. Next up is ‘window cleaner’ and then ‘professional football apprentice’, which pay an average of £4,830 and £4,038 per year respectively.
Pets fill Santa Cruz Animal Shelter: A dozen people filed into the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter on Thursday afternoon, browsing the kennels, looking for a potential friend. The facilities for dogs, cats and rabbits are at capacity this month. The shelter is offering half-price pet adoptions for the remainder of July in an effort to free space for the next wave of animals. The Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter provides animal rescue, adoption and temporary care for about 6,000 animals a year, according to its website. The nation celebrated the sights and sounds of the Fourth of July earlier this month. But the season is notoriously frightening for pets, Sobel said.
Stray pets account for a fraction of the shelter's animals. If a pet owner is arrested or dies, the shelter will look after the animals. It is key to have a constant outflow of animals to make room for unexpected arrivals, Sobel said. Last November, the shelter rescued 80 cats that were living in a one-room trailer. More recently, the shelter took on 61 roosters that were confiscated from a cockfight. The shelter counts on frequent adoptions so it can be prepared for special circumstances and crowding. Now that Mike Burkett, 46, is back from vacation he is ready to adopt another cat. As a self-employed window washer from Prospect Heights, he has time to spare to make a new pet comfortable.
Lightning strikes house, leaves a hole in bathroom: Kahului resident Uilani Endo was standing in her bedroom Monday evening, contemplating what she needed to take downstairs, when she saw a bright blue flash of light crash through her bathroom just 15 feet from her. A deafening boom shook the house, she heard glass shattering and then everything went dark. Endo grabbed her daughter from the next room and ran out of the house, screaming. "It was like a blue line that went right through my bathroom, it streaked right through the house, I yelled for my daughter and told her we had to get the hell out of the house," Endo said, as police and firefighters responded outside her home on Kipapa Place.
Endo's house was hit by lightning at about 6:15 p.m. Monday, as Maui residents began seeing the first signs of Tropical Depression Flossie's late arrival. Kahului and Wailuku firefighters responded to the 6:17 p.m. alarm, finding a hole about 5 inches in diameter that went through the roof, said Fire Services Chief Lee Mainaga. The lightning struck through and shattered a glass window louver located high above the bathtub in the master bathroom on the second floor of the home, Endo said.
She, her husband, daughter and tenant were inside the house when the lightning struck. "I was just freaked, all I could think of was to get my daughter out of the main house," Endo said. Her daughter, 21-year-old Kanoe, was in the next room when the lightning beamed through her mother's bathroom. Just five minutes earlier, she had been texting on her cellphone inside the bathroom where it struck. "I was just thinking, 'Oh my God, oh my God,' " Kanoe Endo said. "I never thought that would happen in my life." "It's pretty terrifying," said Bill Tavares, who spoke to The Maui News from his home in Kuau as lightning thundered down 5:45 Monday evening. "It's the loudest thunder I've ever heard in all my life and I'm almost 92."
Family's loving tribute to 'the very best of men' - The heartbroken parents of a young man who died after getting into difficulty while swimming in a Chirk river last week have said their son was “the very best of men”. Anthony James Lawrence died after an incident at the confluence of the rivers Ceiriog and Dee, near Pont-y-Blew, Chirk, last Tuesday evening. Paying tribute to the 21-year-old from Oswestry yesterday, his parents Dave and Denise Lawrence said their son was “committed” to his family and friends and had a talent for Japanese manga animation, a passion he hoped would take him to Japan.
Father, Dave Lawrence, 44, who was introducing his son to the family’s window cleaning business, which he runs with Anthony’s 24-year-old brother, Dean, urged other parents to take every opportunity with their children. “I have got no regrets with Anthony. Even to the very end we were together and enjoying ourselves – that is one thing that has helped me through this. “You can’t wrap them up in cotton wool, they have got to live, but make the most of it.” Mrs Lawrence, who the couple said was Anthony’s closest friend, added: “Don’t take each other for granted - have a really good relationship with them because they are so precious.”
Hemel Hempstead window cleaner took his own life after heated row with on/off girlfriend: A man took his own life after a booze-fuelled argument with his on/off girlfriend, an inquest into his death heard. Kevin Alderman and Magrieta Smith - better known as Maffti - had a row which escalated into violence in the early hours of January 22, 2012. Window cleaner Kevin, 31, of Leighton Buzzard Road, Hemel Hempstead, was left with two small abrasions on his face - Ms Smith told the inquest, held at Hatfield on Thursday, that she had scratched him.
Kevin left her home when she threatened to call the police and he went to his sister’s house. In a statement read out by Herts Coroner Edward Thomas, his sister described him as upset and ‘crying his eyes out’. Before heading home he told her: ‘This is going to be my last night’. In the morning when Ms Smith went to Kevin’s home she looked through the window and discovered he had hung himself. She got back in her car and went to friends for help before the police were called. “I just wanted to go and get them and make things better,” she said.
Mr Thomas said that even if Ms Smith had acted straight away it would not have made any difference as Kevin had been dead for some time. A post mortem examination revealed alcohol, cocaine and cannabis in Kevin’s system, although the Class B drug can remain present for up to two weeks after using it. “There was alcohol and cocaine and the effect of both can make you very low,” said Mr Thomas. “If you are miserable it can make you more miserable.”
He recorded that Kevin died of asphyxiation and had taken his own life while the balance of his mind was disturbed. Mr Thomas said: “It is very sad because he was obviously someone who, most of the time, was great fun to be with.” He told the family that a note had been left on the kitchen side by Kevin and handed it to his parents in an envelope after closing the inquest.
Kevin left her home when she threatened to call the police and he went to his sister’s house. In a statement read out by Herts Coroner Edward Thomas, his sister described him as upset and ‘crying his eyes out’. Before heading home he told her: ‘This is going to be my last night’. In the morning when Ms Smith went to Kevin’s home she looked through the window and discovered he had hung himself. She got back in her car and went to friends for help before the police were called. “I just wanted to go and get them and make things better,” she said.
Mr Thomas said that even if Ms Smith had acted straight away it would not have made any difference as Kevin had been dead for some time. A post mortem examination revealed alcohol, cocaine and cannabis in Kevin’s system, although the Class B drug can remain present for up to two weeks after using it. “There was alcohol and cocaine and the effect of both can make you very low,” said Mr Thomas. “If you are miserable it can make you more miserable.”
He recorded that Kevin died of asphyxiation and had taken his own life while the balance of his mind was disturbed. Mr Thomas said: “It is very sad because he was obviously someone who, most of the time, was great fun to be with.” He told the family that a note had been left on the kitchen side by Kevin and handed it to his parents in an envelope after closing the inquest.
Bogus window cleaner steals cash: A bogus window cleaner carrying a red bucket and a squeegee stole cash after calling at two houses in Basingstoke. The first theft took place at 1pm on Thursday, July 18, when the man walked through an open front door of a house in Cliddesden Road. A 73 year old woman, who lived at the house, confronted him before he offered to clean windows. She declined but later found £20 was missing from her handbag.
The second theft took place at 11.30am on Monday, July 22. The man called at a sheltered housing complex, again in Cliddesden Road, and asked a 57-year-old man, who is vulnerable, for a drink. He then took the man’s wallet, which contained £300 in cash and bank cards. The man is described as white, 5ft 9ins tall, of medium build with short, dark hair. The woman described him as wearing a red t-shirt and jeans with a tattoo on his upper right arm. Police are linking the two incidents. A 32 year old man from Basingstoke was arrested in connection with these incidents but has been released with no further action. Anyone with information can contact PC Craig Bannerman at Basingstoke police station on 101.
Update - Bogus window cleaner tricks vulnerable people: Police have released further information about a man who has been posing as a window cleaner to steal from elderly people. On Thursday, 18 July at 8.50am a 98-year-old woman in Barking opened her front door to a man carrying a bucket who claimed to be collecting money for her window cleaner. The man has been described as charming, polite and believable. The man asked for £3 and when the victim went inside to get her purse the man followed her into the lounge. Not having enough change to hand over the £3, the suspect said he would take a £20 note and return with change in half an hour. After the man left, the woman checked her purse and saw that he had taken two £20 notes. He did not return as promised. The suspect has been described as a white male, 6ft tall, aged 30-35 years, of slim build with cropped fair/mousey hair. He spoke in a local accent and was wearing a copper/orange jumper with dark navy jeans. He is known to have called at the following addresses also:
- St Awdrys Road, Barking on 8 July
- The Avenue, Hornchurch on 10 July
- Maplestead Road, Dagenham on 15 July
- Valence Circus, Dagenham on 15 July
- Howard Road, Barking on 17 July
- Wedderburn Road, Barking on 18 July
Investigating officer Detective Constable Gemma Townsend of Barking and Dagenham CID said: “This man is relying on the trusting nature of our most vulnerable residents. Please make sure that any elderly people that you know or care for are aware of this despicable crime. “It is okay to be suspicious and to tell strangers to come back when a friend or relative can be with you. If they are persistent please shut the front door and dial 999.” This suspect is believed to be responsible for a number of identical offences in Barking and Dagenham and a further offence at The Avenue, Hornchurch.
- St Awdrys Road, Barking on 8 July
- The Avenue, Hornchurch on 10 July
- Maplestead Road, Dagenham on 15 July
- Valence Circus, Dagenham on 15 July
- Howard Road, Barking on 17 July
- Wedderburn Road, Barking on 18 July
Investigating officer Detective Constable Gemma Townsend of Barking and Dagenham CID said: “This man is relying on the trusting nature of our most vulnerable residents. Please make sure that any elderly people that you know or care for are aware of this despicable crime. “It is okay to be suspicious and to tell strangers to come back when a friend or relative can be with you. If they are persistent please shut the front door and dial 999.” This suspect is believed to be responsible for a number of identical offences in Barking and Dagenham and a further offence at The Avenue, Hornchurch.
Fake window cleaner robs 93 year old woman in Lynstead near Sittingbourne: This man is being hunted after a 93-year-old woman was robbed by a fake window cleaner. She was targeted by a man who stole £300 when he burst into her home in Cellar Hill Lynstead, near Sittingbourne. The victim was in her living room when he came in through the kitchen door and told her he was collecting money for window cleaning. She stood up to confront him, but he pushed her down and forcibly held her in place before stealing her purse out of her knitting bag. The offender ran out of the door with her purse, containing bank cards and £300.
Police said the offender is described as white, with dark short hair and a "longish face". He was clean-shaven and thought to have been in his late 20s. Detectives have now released an efit of a man they want to speak to about the incident, between 1.55pm and 2.07pm on last Tuesday. DCI Ann Lisseman, from Kent Police, said: "While the victim suffered no injuries, we are classing this as robbery because the offender used force to restrain his vulnerable victim. "Someone out there must recognise this man and I'd ask you to call into us as soon as possible. "Targeting an elderly lady and stealing her belongings is a despicable thing to do and we are following up every possible line of enquiry to find the offender and bring him to justice. "Despite her ordeal, the victim has shown remarkable courage and fortitude in helping us compile an e-fit, and I'd like to commend her for her bravery."
Police said the offender is described as white, with dark short hair and a "longish face". He was clean-shaven and thought to have been in his late 20s. Detectives have now released an efit of a man they want to speak to about the incident, between 1.55pm and 2.07pm on last Tuesday. DCI Ann Lisseman, from Kent Police, said: "While the victim suffered no injuries, we are classing this as robbery because the offender used force to restrain his vulnerable victim. "Someone out there must recognise this man and I'd ask you to call into us as soon as possible. "Targeting an elderly lady and stealing her belongings is a despicable thing to do and we are following up every possible line of enquiry to find the offender and bring him to justice. "Despite her ordeal, the victim has shown remarkable courage and fortitude in helping us compile an e-fit, and I'd like to commend her for her bravery."
Fairfield Police Warn Residents About Scams - An in-person scam was attempted on Saturday in the area of Nepas Road. A resident told police a man went door to door with a woman to talk about window cleaning. The report said that they had no documentation to verify this. If residents are concerned about a possible scam, they should contact the Fairfield police at 203-254-4800 and file a report.
More woe for families as benefits cap is rolled out (UK): The bedroom tax has already hit residents in the pocket with one Stafford man saying he is struggling to afford food. And plans to introduce a Universal Credit system, which will see benefits paid monthly, and a benefits cap, could leave many in hardship, Stafford and Rural Homes bosses have warned. One 35-year-old resident, who asked not to be named, told the Newsletter the bedroom tax was crippling him. The Exeter Street resident was signed off work 14 months ago due to medical issues. He previously worked as a grounds worker and window cleaner.
He said: “I lived with my mum in a house but when she died I asked to be moved to a two-bedroom flat as I have two children who sometimes stay. “When the bedroom tax came in I suddenly had to pay £50 a month. I can’t afford it. I will often miss out on either some food or put off paying the TV licence to buy food. I’ve sold some belongings to make money. I’m on the list to get a one-bedroom place but it will be difficult if my children stay. “Monthly payments are worrying because I don’t know how I’ll survive and make it last. I’m struggling now. I’ve run out of bread and milk and have £7 of elec- tricity to last me until next week.”
Fast-Food Restaurant Workers In Some Cities Plan To Walk Off Job: Don’t expect to have it your way Monday at some fast-food restaurants across the country. Workers at the nation’s best known fast-food restaurants in seven cities across America are planning to walk off the job Monday to protest what they say are wages that are too low to live on, Fox News reported.
The Washington Post reported that the protests will take place in New York City, Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Kansas City, and Flint, Mich., involving workers at McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's and KFC. Some employees at stores including Dollar Tree, Macy's and Victoria's Secret are also expected to join the protesters in several cities.
"A lot of the workers are living in poverty, you know, not being able to afford to put food on the table or take the train to work." The workers are calling for wages of $15 per hour, more than double New York's current minimum wage of $7.25. “SEIU members, like all service-sector workers, are worse off when large fast-food and retail companies are able to hold down wages and push benefit standards for working people,” Mary Kay Henry, president of the Service Employees International Union, told the Washington Post.
In New York City, the protests were organized by a group called Fast Food Forward, which states its Twitter account: "No one can survive on $7.25." Some Kanawha County residents agreed. "Me and my wife both work and we struggle to make it by every week, so it would definitely help a lot," said John Fields, a window washer who makes $10 an hour.
Metal baton used to fight off others during melee in Street: A window cleaner took out a metal cosh from his car in a bid to protect himself as he was under attack from two other males after a family birthday party in Street. Benjamin Allan got involved in a fight with his girlfriend's father and brother and took out the weapon from his car and used it during the melee. When police were called to the incident they searched the area and found it hidden in a nearby hedge and the defendant was arrested. The 26-year-old, of Barlinch Close, Taunton, pleaded guilty to being in possession of an offensive weapon, namely an extendable baton, in Street on June 15 when he appeared before District Judge Maurice Champion sitting at Yeovil.
He said: "Things got out of hand between the family members and at some point during a fight it transpired that Allan took an extendable baton from his car and this was used in the course of this fight. "When the police attended the scene it was found hidden in a nearby hedge and it is accepted by Allan that it belonged to him and that he took it out of his car saying he had it for self-defence purposes." Defending solicitor Robin Weelen said that there was a history of bad feeling between Allan and his partner's father and brother who were the other two males involved in the incident. Allan went back to his partner's house after the party but then said he was leaving as her brother and father were there. "Her brother then came out and punched Allan through the car window and the father also came out and my client tried to drive away," he said. "However his car windscreen was then smashed by the brother and Allan, who had a metal cosh in his car, was being attacked so he picked it up and was trying to ensure that nobody else was going to do anything to him."
He added that Allan had the baton as he used to live above a shop which sold similar items including samurai swords and he was given some of them. He had been living in a tent at the time so kept the baton in his car. He added that the defendant worked as a window cleaner in Taunton and his employer had now lent him the money to buy himself a caravan to live in. The judge accepted that Allan had been caught up in "exceptional circumstances" and fined him £200. He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.
No comments:
Post a Comment