Australian Window Cleaners Buzzed By Giant

Window cleaners Lawrence Jones and Carl Nothling got the fright of their lives yesterday when they turned around to see one of the world's largest planes heading directly for them.

Window cleaners sitting pretty as Globemasters buzz Brisbane: When your job means you dangle hundreds of metres above the ground every day there is little rattles you. But window cleaners Lawrence Jones and Carl Nothling got the fright of their lives yesterday when they turned around to see one of the world's largest planes heading directly for them. Unaware that four of the Air Force's new C-17A Globemasters were due to fly low over the city on a public relations exercise, the duo from Pacific Rope Maneuvers were hard at work cleaning windows at the top of the Brisbane Square building when they noticed hundreds of people lining the nearby Victoria Bridge.

Mr Jones, 27, said he rang his colleague on the roof of the building to find out what was going on when suddenly the four 53m-long and 52m-wide Globemasters came roaring past  and one appeared to heading right for them. "There was one moment I was scared,'' Mr Jones said. The skies over southeast Queensland were home to four giant aircraft when the RAAF's new Globemasters took to the air. "The second or third one that flew over the building looked really close, like it was coming right at us. As it was coming we were just saying `please turn, please turn' and it did just in time.''

Photographer Alex Aspinall was on hand for the Globemaster flyover, but window cleaners Laurence Jones and Carl Nothling had an even better view high above the city.

Twenty-eight floors below the duo, passerby Alex Aspinall had his camera pointed skyward  and captured the exact moment that left Mr Jones and Mr Nothling shaking in their harnesses. Like the window cleaners, Mr Aspinall had also managed to miss the news of the flypast. He was walking to work just in time to see it all unwind. "It was a coincidence really,'' he said. "As I got off the train I saw hordes of people queued up on the bridge. I noticed the window cleaners as I was coming over the bridge and wondered if that's what people were looking at. "It was a pleasing shot in the end. All the other aircraft had come over the river but that one took a much wider pass around ... it looked like it came quite close to the top of that building. "I can imagine it was pretty scary up there.''

C-17A Globemasters are one of the largest planes in the World, standing 322 metres (1056 feet) tall.

But despite the fright, the window cleaner Mr Jones said it had been ``the highlight of my day''. "Being there on the ropes and seeing it so close, it was pretty nice,'' he said. The huge planes took off from Amberley Air Force base west of Brisbane, thundered across the central business district a few minutes later about 300m above the ground before flying over the beaches of the Gold Coast at below the height of the city's loftiest building, the Q1, which stands 322 metres tall.

The formation, which thrilled tens of thousands of onlookers,  included the newest Globemaster, which was delivered on November 6 and is the Royal Australian Air Force's sixth. Wing Commander Paul Long says the Globemasters have made a tremendous contribution since they first arrived in December 2006. "Our C-17As have supported operations in East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan and last year were instrumental in providing support for disaster relief tasking in Queensland, Japan and New Zealand,'' he said in a statement.

Window Cleaner Finds Miracle In Malaysia

The Virgin Mary which first appeared to a window cleaner.

Virgin Mary Image In Window: It will be a long wait before the Malaysian Catholic community gets “official approval” from the local bishop or the Vatican to raise a Hail Mary or light a candle to Our Lady of Subang Jaya although hundreds of them are already singing Ave Maria at a “holy” site in front of a private hospital. For now, to the corporate Catholic Church of Malaysia, Our Lady of Subang Jaya — a purported apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary on a window pane at the Sime Darby Medical Centre — which first appeared to a window cleaner and is being witnessed by hundreds of people daily — is just a pixel of an abstract image on a window pane. This sighting of the Mother of Jesus may be deemed as authentic or not at all by Kuala Lumpur Archbishop Tan Sri Murphy Pakiam, who will most likely discern according to the “Norms of the Congregation for Proceeding in Judging Alleged Apparitions and Revelations” — a document issued in 1978 by the Vatican’s Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (SCDF).

GATHERING IN FAITH: Roman Catholics offer prayers in front of an image said to be the Virgin Mary that appeared on the window of Sime Darby Medical Centre on Nov 11.

Like previous apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary such as the one in Lourdes (France), or Fatima (Portugal) or Guadalupe (Mexico), it is going to be a long haul for Our Lady of Subang Jaya. She has to earn her pedestal through rigorous theological and scientific verification by local theologians and other experts. This could take years or even centuries to gain acceptance as an authentic phenomenon — as was the case of Our Lady of Laus (France) which received diocesan approval for Catholic devotion in 1665 but formal recognition as a supernatural event only in 2008. According to the 1978 SCDF prescription, the diocesan bishop can initiate a process of investigation on his own initiative or at the request of the faithful when such a phenomenon occurs. Read more..

Handling with care: Workers removing the window panels at the Sime Darby Medical Centre (SDMC) in Subang Jaya.

‘Virgin Mary’ glass panes moved to Klang: (Petaling Jaya): The glass panel at the Sime Darby Medical Centre (SDMC), which has an image said to resemble the Virgin Mary, has been moved to a Catholic church in Klang. In a statement, Sime Darby Bhd said two panels from the North Tower of the hospital complex had been taken down in a 95-minute operation which began at 10am yesterday. “One of the panels has marks that some claim resemble artistic depictions of Mary, the Mother of Jesus,” the company said. Some eyewitnesses also claimed to have seen another image forming on one of the windows below, which allegedly resembled the face of Jesus.

The company stressed that the removal of the glass panels was carried out by professionals and due care was taken. “Church leaders and members of the Subang Jaya parish were present to witness the removal of the window panels,” it said. The panels were moved to the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes in Klang. Hundreds of people witnessed the removal process with many whipping out their handphones to record the event.

Faith and perception: The window panels at the Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Klang.

In Klang, Catholics turned up in droves at the church as word spread that the glass panels had been brought there. Both panels are being displayed in the chapel, located behind the church. Parish priest Rev Fr Michael Chua said the panels can be viewed by the public from 7am to 10pm daily. Catholics were seen clutching the rosary and silently praying. Many also took photographs of the panels. Retiree Michael Ghana said this was his fifth time viewing the image. He had gone to SDMC four times previously. “Today, the image is clearer than usual. It’s a miracle,” he said. Patimary Anthony Raju, 58, said she was very happy that the panels were moved to her parish church. “I can feel Mother Mary’s presence when praying,” she said.

Also see:

Newtons Rings

Window Cleaners "Virgin Mary" Rock.

Miracle At Mercy - Springfield, Massachusetts.

Or if that doesn't grab you...

Masterpiece of Halo Fan Art: This impeccably detailed Master Chief stained glass window was made by Evan Daniels of Martian Glass Works. It’s just about perfect. The only thing it’s missing is a little glowing blue Cortana floating around and guiding Chief’s way as he takes on the Covenant and countless other nasties. Measuring in at 50″(H) x 40″(W) and made up out of about 200 pieces of glass, it’s an impressive feat for sure. It took Evan about 70 hours to construct. Of course, all of that work is bound to be worth something, and the big glass Chief is selling for a whopping $3000 (USD). Iron man goes for a little more, click picture to enlarge.

Window Cleaner, 71, Dies In Ladder Fall

Hindmarch Drive, Boldon.

Window cleaner, 71, dies in ladder fall: Tributes have been paid to a window cleaner who died while on his round. Robert Veater, 71, of Durham Road, Sunderland, was killed after falling from a ladder when working on a house in Hindmarch Drive, West Boldon. Mr Veater, a dad-of-three and grandad-of-five was taken to South Tyneside District Hospital after the fall but died of his injuries. Mr Veater’s family told the Echo they were too upset to speak about the tragedy. Stunned neighbours today told of their shock at his death. Mark Spinks, who lives just doors away from the house where the accident happened, said: “It was horrific.”

The 30-year-old, who lives with partner Sherry Alderson, 29, said: “We heard the ambulance and the police cars and went outside to see what had happened. “He was just lying on the ground. It was horrific. Mr Spinks, dad to Mark, eight, and Katie, two, added: “He was only trying to make an honest living and for that to happen is terrible.” Pat Saunders, of Hardie Drive, in West Boldon, said Mr Veater would be hugely missed by residents.

The 66-year-old, whose windows had been cleaned by Mr Veater for the past 30 years, said: “Bob’s death has got everybody round here really upset. “He was absolutely great. “He’d seen all of my kids grow up and me grandkids too. “He had been amazing over the years. “He was lovely to everyone and with there being a lot of older people where we live he was very pally with them.”

A spokeswoman for Northumbria Police said: “At 10.23am on November 8 police received a report from the Ambulance Service of an injured man at Hindmarch Drive, in Boldon. “Officers attended and a 71-year-old man was taken to South Tyneside Hospital where he subsequently died. “A report has been prepared for the coroner.” An inquest by South Tyneside coroner Terence Carney into Mr Veater’s death has been opened and adjourned. Mr Veater’s funeral takes place tomorrow at 11.30am at Sunderland Crematorium.

This is what the locals think of window cleaners.
Also see 72 Year Old Window Cleaner Falls To His Death.

The Future For Water Cleaning

Many companies are coming up with cleaning systems that use water only, claiming these to be sustainable since they remove the need for chemicals. But as water supplies dwindle, are such claims justified?

The future for water cleaning: Many companies are coming up with cleaning systems that use water only, claiming these to be sustainable since they remove the need for chemicals. But as water supplies dwindle, are such claims justified? Ann Laffeaty looks at arguments for and against water-based and chemical-based cleaning systems.

Products and systems were once considered to be environmentally-friendly if they minimised the use of potentially harmful chemicals. Manufacturers then began coming up with new, eco-friendly chemicals said to be less aggressive and kinder to the environment. Soon chemicals were dispensed with altogether in certain applications, and systems that used water alone - such as water-fed poles, microfibre cloths and high pressure cleaning machines – began to gain ground.

But the world is now facing a water crisis. A UN report issued this summer claimed that water supplies are falling while demand is growing at an unsustainable rate. In fact the average supply of water per person worldwide is expected to drop by a third over the next 20 years.
So does this mean that water-based cleaning systems are no longer sustainable?

Water-fed pole window cleaning is one of the services offered by facilities management services company OCS. Regional operations manager Michael Chambers admits that such systems require more water than traditional window cleaning methods using a ladder and squeegee.

Many advantages

“However I think the advantages of water-fed pole window cleaning outweigh the disadvantages, both from a financial and sustainability point of view,” he said. “For one thing this method allows you to clean windows 60 ft up, which is much better for the safety of staff than using ladders. Access equipment often runs on diesel, too, which can cause pollution. And traditional cleaning methods use chemicals whereas water-fed systems of course use only water.”

He adds that the extra water used for window cleaning is not wasted in any case. “All the run-off goes into the drains and ends up back in the system,” he said. “The fact that the water is pure means it is more or less equivalent to rainwater.”

High pressure cleaning also uses large quantities of water to remove dirt from indoor and outdoor surfaces. However this is still an eco-friendly cleaning method according to Karcher environmental PR David Wickel.

“The narrow diameter of a high pressure nozzle reduces water consumption considerably in comparison with an ordinary hose,” he said. “Furthermore, mechanical cleaning is an environmentally-friendly alternative to using chemicals, and in many cases leads to better cleaning results in a much shorter time.”

He argues that high pressure cleaning keeps chemical use to a minimum since detergent consumption can be reduced under higher pressure. “Pressure cleaners also have dosing devices that enable detergent to be added precisely and in minimal quantities.”

He claims Kärcher’s high pressure cleaners save up to 50 per cent more water, electricity and time than most other high pressure systems. In some cases, too – particularly in car-washing applications - the water can be recycled.

“With our WRH 1200 eco it is possible to recycle the oily waste water arising from washing engines and vehicle under-bodies with a high pressure cleaner,” he said. “Using this method, fresh water consumption can be reduced by as much as 85 per cent.”

Wickel adds that the company’s scrubber dryers can also be adapted to save water. “When using scrubber dryers with disk brushes, aquamisers –or aprons fitted behind the disks on the brush head - confine the cleaning solution to the area being cleaned,” he said. “This makes it possible to reduce water and detergent consumption by up to 30 per cent.”

PHS Washrooms offers a number of products designed to save water including flush control systems for toilets and urinals, and a water saver system for taps. When attached to a siphon in the toilet cistern, the Flush-wiser WC Flush Control can reduce the amount of water flushed by up to three litres according to marketing manager Keri Reynolds. “This can be adjusted to suit each cistern, taking into account cistern size and performance in order to make optimum
savings without compromising on hygiene,” she says.

Reduction in wastage

The PHS SaverTap is designed to make existing taps work more efficiently by preventing them from being allowed to be left to run. “This reduces water wastage by up to 80 per cent,” says Reynolds. “Using water more efficiently is a smart way for businesses to save energy and money, while also delivering on commitments to cut energy and resource wastage.

“The washroom is somewhere that energy-saving schemes can easily be put into action by installing products that are economical with water, yet still deliver the best performance and hygiene standards. As well as the financial benefits, by demonstrating your company’s water efficiency you may attract new, more environmentally-aware customers and employees.”

Nilfisk-Advance has developed a cleaning system said to cut water consumption by 50 per cent and reduce the need for detergents by between 35 and 100 per cent. The company’s Ecoflex System allows the operator to vary the quantity of detergent used and also to switch between chemical-free cleaning and water-only cleaning.

“The Ecoflex System enables the operator to select the right blend of pad pressure, water and detergent for any given task,” says group corporate responsibility manager Ulla Riber. “This means the decision on how to balance the use of detergent and water is managed at the point of cleaning which allows the operator to achieve the best possible results.”

The company also offers the Nilfisk-Advance Cyclone 4500 system which collects and filters waste water. All contaminants are removed and contained and the clean water is recycled and reused.

Needs protecting

“Water is a main component for delivering the highest standards of effective cleaning - but it is a natural resource and we all need to protect it,” says Ruber.

“There is no doubt that water will be high on the agenda in our industry in years to come. Both we and our customers see potential in developing products that provide equal or enhanced cleaning efficiency while using less energy, less water and less detergent. We want to take a key position in this development.”

Ecolab also aims to reduce the use of water during cleaning. However senior marketing communications manager Nick Burchell feels that water alone is rarely a substitute for chemicals in any case.

“If you want to remove limescale you will need an acid-based product, and if you want to disinfect a surface you will require a QAT-based or chlorine bleach product,” he said.

Chemicals are also sometimes required even when cleaning with microfibre, according to Burchell. In a 2005 laboratory study carried out by Ecolab, two surfaces were charged with pathogens and cleaned using different methods - one with microfibre plus chemicals and one with microfibre and
water alone.

“There was a significant log reduction when chemicals were used,” said Burchell. “Also the fresh smell associated with a chemical clean is often important. Patient studies in the UK have shown that if a hospital smells clean, patients feel that it must be clean. Cleaning methods that use water alone do not generate this clean smell.”

Ecolab offers a mop impregnation system for hospitals designed to be ergonomic for the cleaner while minimising the use of water and chemicals. The Vario Maxx Healthguard system is said to reduce water and chemical consumption by up to 80 per cent while also facilitating the task of hospital cleaning.

“We design our trolleys around the workforce and take into account how people use them,” said Burchell. “A calculation is made as to how many microfibre mops are required to clean each bay and ward, and these mops are then lined up in a box on the trolley ready for use.

“The mops are then moistened in a bucket that contains a powerful concentration of detergent plus two litres of water at most. This solution is absorbed by the mops so that they become only damp, with no wringing required.”

Ecolab also offers a rinse-free product for manual and machine cleaning that is said to save water. Magic Maxx contains a blend of active cleaning agents to create what Ecolab calls 'super-wetting technology'.

Diversey corporate communications director Rafael Echevarria agrees that besides any sustainability issues, water alone is not always an effective cleaning medium. “With a chemical-free system it is not necessarily the amount of water that is the issue,” he said. “The water will need to be hotter which gives rise to safety and environmental issues. Also more abrasion may be required which could lead to damage to the cleaning surface or the user. And when using water alone it may take significantly longer to clean which will lead to productivity and cost issues.”

He argues that chemicals play an important role in hygiene-critical environments such as kitchens and washrooms. “Although water alone could be used in these areas, the germs would have to be physically removed by microfibre or through thermal disinfection,” he said.

Scientific assessment

“Very few microfibre systems have been scientifically assessed for their ability to remove harmful bacteria. As regards thermal disinfection, you would have to use either very high temperatures for relatively long contact times, or steam. This may be fine in a closed system such as a laundry machine, but elsewhere there will be some environmental impact regarding how the water is heated, damage to materials and personal safety.”

He says it is misleading to categorically claim that water-only systems are more sustainable than those that use chemicals. However he adds that a sustainable cleaning regime should successfully balance both water and chemical use.

“Around 1.5 billion people live in river basins where water is physically scarce, while another billion live in river basins where water is economically scarce,” he said. “Water management and conservation is critical to any regime - cleaning or not. The water-only/chemical balance can be extremely complex and the only certain answer is: whatever the answer, it doesn’t apply to everyone.”

Christmas Lights & Window Cleaning Round-Up

A window cleaner wipes off Sandy’s grunge from a Starbucks at Hanover Square in Manhattan’s Financial District.

Lower Manhattan Still A Mess 2 Weeks After Hurricane Sandy: As storm-ravaged homeowners living on the coasts of New Jersey and New York City continue to pick up the shattered, waterlogged pieces of their lives, pumping out the basement of the world’s financial capital is only beginning. After that come the safety inspections, the mop-ups, the dry-outs and the replacement of massive boilers, electrical boxes and other assorted parts that make up the guts of a skyscraper. Not since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks has the tip of Manhattan been so filled with cleanup crews and equipment. Buildings typically filled with office workers sit empty, many still running on minimal power supplied by generators inside or parked beside them.

Greensburg Decatur County Chamber of Commerce: President Tammie Spurlock presents the Small Business Grant to Charity and Logan Wilder of Crystal Clear Window Cleaning. Charity says "We will be purchasing a glass repair system with the funds."

Tri-Valley residents can leave Christmas lights to experts: If you've ever wished for magic elves to put up your outdoor holiday lights, you're in luck. OK, so you may not get actual elves, but there are plenty of companies willing to string your holiday lights for a fee. "Decorating with lights is a high priority for my husband. I call him Mr. Christmas," Beth Cutrer, of Blackhawk, said. "We like the house to look festive, so it's worth it to pay someone to do that for us. It's too big of a job for us to do it ourselves." Safety concerns and lack of time are the two main reasons people fork over their hard-earned cash to have someone else install their holiday lights, said Lou Vandersnook, owner of The Christmas Light Pros Tri-Valley. "There are more people who die on 6-foot ladders than 60-foot ladders," Vandersnook claimed. "A lot of people don't have the time, or they're not used to getting up on those ladders. It's a dangerous job."

Most companies that install holiday lights have other lines of work that keep them busy during warm months, but business drops off when the weather cools. Installing lights is a perfect way to keep cash flowing during the slow winter months. Vandersnook is a prime example. He owns a retractable screen door business that keeps him and his employees hopping from February through October. Once early October hits, the crews get to work on holiday lights. "For a relatively low cost, I could make a little bit of money on the side," he said of the light licensee business he started in 2006. "It was a seasonal business. It wasn't a huge commitment at that time. Now, it's exploded for us. It's a major business."

Troy Davis is a professional window cleaner by trade, but he got into the holiday light business in 1993 to make ends meet during the wet winter months. "I was looking for a creative way to make money," Davis said. "We used to do house (windows) and people were saying, 'I wish I had those ladders for my Christmas lights.' I specialize in hard-to-reach places and things that are hard to get to. I put that idea into Christmas lights. It just kind of evolved."

Davis, who owns Yes We Do, "Do Windows," is like most light installers who offer full-service packages -- installation, maintenance and removal. "You get us knowing how to install everything so the lights are nice and tight," he said. "If anything goes wrong with those lights, we'll come out there and take care of it. Then we come back after the first of the year and take down the lights." Prices vary wildly from company to company. Some charge by the job, others charge per foot of lights. Tiny twinkle lights cost much less than the expensive, energy-saving LED lights. Large houses and houses with hard-to-reach eaves cost more than single-story homes.

One company might do a one-story house in two hours for a mere $150, but that's at the bargain end of the price range. Many companies have minimums starting at hundreds of dollars and offer packages that run into the thousands for homes with elaborate displays on rooflines, trees and shrubs. "When you look at the whole scenario, it's worth it," Davis said of the investment. "We put the lights up, but we also come back and take them down. Most of the people we work with on these big homes think that it's worth it. They're willing to pay someone to put up their lights."

Mariano Sanchez is another professional window cleaner who supplements his winter income through his Holiday Light Pros business. "Some of my clients are older or just don't have the ability to get on roofs," Sanchez said. "We take the danger out of putting up Christmas lights. It's dangerous when you get up two stories. I've been doing business window cleaning for years now, so I'm comfortable with heights." Sanchez also knows how many lights he can safely string together. "If you connect them wrong, you could blow out fuses," he said. "You need to divide the volts equally. It seems simple, but there are some technicalities, and there's danger involved as well."

While some companies will use lights a customer owns, most prefer to use lights they buy in bulk. "We offer everything from small clear-light bulbs to the latest in LED technology," Vandersnook said. "Say they want icicles one year, but the next year they want multicolor bulbs or LED lights. They can make those changes without making a large investment. All they have to do is sit back, relax and enjoy the lights." It's important, Vandersnook noted, to make sure any light installer has the proper workers' compensation and liability insurance. Otherwise, homeowners could be sued if a worker is injured on their property. "There's a lot of guys out there who put up the lights and don't have insurance," he said. "Everybody should have certifications in their vehicles that they can show the customer upon demand."

Crystal Nieto, of Pleasanton, has had Vandersnook decorate her home with the old-fashioned large multicolor bulbs since 2008. It's a luxury and a safety issue for her family. "For us, the height and safety were a concern," she said. "We know they'll come and install them and take them down. We would rather have a professional do that than risk our safety." The end result, Nieto said, is well worth the investment. "When we first started to do it, I thought, 'Oh my gosh, isn't that fantastic?' " she said. "The house looked so much better. When you drive around the corner and see what they've done, your mouth drops."

Kilted window cleaners “Get Checked!” Men In Kilts Calgary participate in the Prostate Cancer Centre’s “Get Checked” event with Brookfield Properties, The Bay Downtown, Suncor Energy, and Crowfoot Dodge. Men In Kilts, a full-service window cleaning, snow removal, gutter cleaning, siding cleaning, pressure washing, blind cleaning, and carpet cleaning company, will be participating to help raise awareness and funds for the Prostate Cancer “Get Checked” event on Wednesday Nov 14th at the Suncor Energy Centre. “Participating in this event is very important for me,” says Chris Carrier, owner of Men In Kilts Calgary. ”My father was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. Prostate cancer checks are not something a lot of men are getting done so we need to raise awareness and break down barriers. When this opportunity came up for Men In Kilts to participate, I could not think of a better fit and way to get involved."

Breaking Glass Falls From Trump Tower: Glass is covering a section of Adelade street after a window in the Trump Tower was blown out. Witnesses tell Newstalk1010 that it appears that something fell from the top of the building and smashed the glass. Callers into the newsroom said fire officials are on scene and are spraying the ground with water but no fire was seen. It could be to clean up the glass on the ground. Police have confirmed that there were no injuries and one car was damaged when the glass showered the roadway. Adelade was closed at the intersection of Bay.

Kennewick - The average household in the Tri-Cities brings in $50,000. So you might be surprised to learn almost 100 people working for local city government are projected to make twice than this year. KEPR found out Kennewick is paying the most six-figure salaries. Jonathan Schlender represents the average worker in Kennewick. His window-cleaning business brings in roughly 48-thousand a year. But Kennewick has 40 people on the city's payroll making more than twice that. "We have some positions that are critical to the operations of the city. We have professional positions," said Kennewick Finance Director Evelyn Lusignan. Those include positions like engineers, attorneys and accountants. Kennewick says the salaries are representative of their expertise and longevity.

Murray woman warns neighbors of scam after home burglary: Murray, Utah - After her home was burglarized, a Murray woman is warning others of a door to door scam that she believes possibly led to the crime. Carolyn Shipley thought nothing of it when two men claiming to run a window washing business knocked on her door and offered their services last spring.  Shipley says they offered to clean all the exterior windows for 30 dollars.

When they came a second time in August, Shipley noticed one of the men snooping around her backyard. "I noticed one of the men casing the backyard, now that I think about it," said Shipley. Shipley came home on October 16 only to discover her house had been burglarized. The thieves, according to Shipley had taken off with cash and thousands of dollars worth of jewelry. Shipley reported the burglary to police, but never suspected the window washers of the crime - that is until she saw a story air this week on ABC 4 News about door to door scams.

"When I saw that story on Ch. 4 it just clicked, and I thought that's exactly what happened," said Shipley. In the story Shipley saw on the news, ABC 4 had mentioned that the Better Business Bureau is getting more and more complaints of aggressive sellers who scam innocent customers. That's when Shipley put two and two together.  She believes that these scammers cased her neighborhood for months to pull off their elaborate splan. Murray police are investigating the case, but have no leads at this point.  However, they have reason to believe the men who washed Shipley's windows could be involved. They are asking anyone with information to come forward.

Paying back your victim — and then some: In 2010, 26-year-old Simon Crewe allegedly posed as a window cleaner to gain easy access to an 85-year-old woman's home. The young Brit reportedly made off with the woman's purse and about $250. But in the end, wracked with guilt, Crewe not only returned the retiree's cash, but also added a $60 bonus and a letter of apology that contained his name and phone number, which inevitably led to his arrest. 

UK Window Cleaners Save The Day

Trent Cleaning Services are offering free window cleaning for members of the armed forces and veterans. Pictured is Wayne Gardener and Eldon Collins.

Free cleaning for veterans: One local business is marking Remembrance Day and celebrating the armed forces by offering free cleaning services to soldiers and veterans. “Anybody who is in the armed services can have their first window clean for no charge, and after that they will get a discounted rate,” said Joanne Collins, from Gainsborough-based Trent Cleaning Services. “Anyone who has lost a limb in action will get their windows cleaned free for their lifetime.” “And we are offering discounted rates on all of our cleaning services for anyone who is serving, or has served their country.”

Trent Cleaning Services started out in 2007 and is owned by husband and wife team Joanne and Eldon Collins. Their cleaning services include windows, carpets, contract cleaning and all sorts of domestic jobs. The couple, of Morton Terrace, have strong links with the military, so they decided to offer their help. Joanne said: “My husband has been in the Royal Air Force for 15 years as an RAF policeman.” “And my dad was in the armed forces too. Sadly, we lost him in March after a stroke. He received a lot of help from the Royal British Legion and the Poppy Appeal.” “We know how important it is being in the forces. They contribute so much to society, and their families too.” “We just wanted to do something to recognise that.” To redeem your free or discounted session, call Trent Cleaning Services on 01427 617528.

Josh Burford outside the arson-hit house. The father and son, who are window cleaners, set up a ladder at a back window to help the mother and children to safety.

Hero window cleaner saves Halesowen family from blaze: A quick-thinking window cleaner saved two young children and their mother from their burning Halesowen home after an arsonist set fire to the front door. David Burford was hailed a hero after climbing his ladder to smash a back bedroom window and rescue terrified mum Catherine Keenan-Williams, her three-year-old son and daughter, aged five, shortly at 1am today.  The desperate screams of the 36-year-old woke the neighbourhood after she discovered her hall ablaze and thick acrid smoke filling her Elizabeth Road home. She plucked the children from their beds and took refuge in her bedroom, pushing a pillow against the bottom of the door and shouting for help through the window.

Among those who heard her cries was sister Susan Keenan, who lives with their retired parents Norman and Elizabeth Keenan, in neighbouring High Farm Road. “Her garden backs onto ours - I heard her screaming and saw her hanging out of the bedroom window,” said Miss Keenan. She dashed to wake her parents and rang the fire service while Mr and Mrs Keenan ran to their daughter’s aid. Next door neighbour Mr Burford kicked down the side gate and shouted to his son Josh to fetch the ladders. “It’s all a bit of a blur. The kids were calm but the mum was hysterical,” said the 44-year-old reluctant hero.

Child safety locks on the window meant he had to break the glass with his fist and managed to get the youngest child out. “I shouted down for a hammer to break more of the window and she gave me a slat from the bed to help, but the smoke was coming in and I thought I just had to get then out,” said. He added: “Everyone was really shocked. Her dad was in a world of his own. He looked helpless - he wasn’t - he moved stuff out of the way so I could put the ladder up, but it was just how he looked.”

Fighting back the tears Miss Keenan said: “I feel very sickened by what happened. It’s the worst criminal act you could ever do, particularly if the person who did it knew there were kids in the house. “They are vile and sick and should be sent down for the longest time.” Her sister’s oldest son, aged seven, was staying the night with his grandparents and aunt and Miss Keenan said the children did not really understand what had happened. Their council house has been severely damaged by smoke and they have lost many of their possessions, but friends have been quick to rally with replacement clothes for the family. Miss Keenan said: “We couldn’t have asked for a better neighbourhood and the neighbour who rescued them needs to be thanked, he was a star. All the people were fantastic.”

Mr Burford cut his hand on the broken window, but did not need hospital treatment. His son Josh, aged 20, said: He was brilliant - there are not many people who can say they saved three people from a house fire. He just got on with it.” Ms Keenan-Williams and the two children were treated in hospital for smoke inhalation but were not seriously hurt and firefighters rescued their pet dog, which was unharmed. A 36-year-old man was arrested from another address in Halesowen a short while later and is being questioned on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life. Detective Inspector Gary Dring said: "We could easily have been dealing this morning with the tragic deaths of two young children, but thankfully they were pulled from the house before the fire was able to really take hold. They are lucky to be alive.”

Sex Offender Window Cleaner Sentenced

Window cleaner & dad-of-13 finally brought to justice after raping girl and two boys in the 90s.

Child rapist William Dennis jailed for 12 years: A window cleaner has been jailed for 12 years for carrying out a series of sex attacks on three children more than 20 years ago. William Dennis, 46, from Glasgow, was convicted of raping a girl and sexually two boys in the 1990s. The abuse began when all three were just two years old and continued for a number of years. At the High Court in Edinburgh, judge Lord Burns told father of 13, Dennis, that he had been convicted of "an appalling catalogue" of crimes. Lord Burns pointed out the victims were vulnerable not only because of their young age but also because of their state of development at the time.

'Perverted practices' - The boys were hit with a belt and pipe and one of them was struck on the head with a trowel as well as being slapped and punched. The judge said Dennis had compelled the children to take part in "perverted practices" including indecent behaviour towards each other. Dennis had performed sex acts on an inflatable doll in the presence of the boys and made them carry out sexual acts with it. "There is no doubt this calls for a substantial custodial sentence," said the judge. Lord Burns said despite the victims giving evidence at Dennis' earlier trial he continued to deny any involvement in the offending and blamed others. During his trial last month, the High Court in Glasgow heard how the abuse began in 1989 and ended in 1996. It was reported to police and Dennis was investigated in 1995 and 1996, but there was insufficient evidence to prosecute him.

Conspiracy claim - It was only in 2010 after Dennis, of Cumbernauld Road, Glasgow, was questioned in relation to another matter, that his three victims had the courage to come forward. Now aged 25, 23 and 22 they told how their childhoods were ruined by the abuse inflicted on them by Dennis. In evidence Dennis denied all the charges against him and claimed his three victims were part of a conspiracy against him.  He told the jury that he had 13 children and his pregnant partner was in court to support him.  The jury did not believe him, however, and convicted Dennis of raping the children and assaulting the boys. Following his conviction, Dennis was also placed on the sex offenders register.

A sex beast has been brought to justice after more than 20 years. Dad-of-13 William Dennis was convicted of raping a girl and two boys in the 1990s. The abuse began when all three were just two and continued for years. It was reported to police and Dennis was probed in 1995 and 1996 but there wasn’t enough evidence to prosecute him. It was only in 2010 after Dennis, 46, of Cumbernauld Road, Glasgow, was questioned over another matter that his three victims came forward. At the High Court in Glasgow, Dennis put them through the ordeal of giving evidence against him.

Now aged 25, 23 and 22, they said their childhoods were ruined by Dennis. The girl, now 22, was raped by Dennis from the age of two until five. She told the jury she couldn’t remember much of the abuse but wrote to social workers about it when she was 12, telling them of “feeling sick when he did it”. The note went on: “I kept it a secret for a long time because he said he would stab me if I told.” One of the boys was abused from the age of two until eight and the other from the age of two until six. Dennis also made the older boy attempt to sexually abuse the other boy and the girl.

The abuse began in 1989 and ended in 1996. Dennis was found guilty of raping the three children and physically abusing the two boys by slapping them on the head and body and hitting them with a pipe.