POLICE have commended Marlborough pensioner Stan Sandford, 80, for seeing off bogus callers when they called on him twice in a week.
He refused to let them through the door at his home in Chiminage Close.
Mr Sandford who worked as a petrol sales attendant at the former Dobson's Garage for many years, has lived in the same house for 76 years.
He and his sister, Hilda Jones, had just returned from the shops when there was a knock at the door.
Mr Sandford said: "The chap held up a bit of card on which my sister thought she saw the word gas.
"He said there was some trouble with the gas and came into the kitchen and after looking under the sink asked me to clear the cupboard out.
"While I was doing that he started opening the kitchen drawers. He asked me if there had been any banging noises coming from the cooker and I said no.
"Then he said he needed the national insurance number from my pension book so I went upstairs to get it.
"His mate came in and spoke to him and he said he would have to get some tools. Then he said he did not need the number from my pension book after all and asked me to put it back.
"I went back upstairs and as I was putting it away I could see he had followed me upstairs and was watching through a crack in the door.
"By the time I got out on the landing he was back downstairs and he said he had to go outside to fetch something and he went.
"We never saw him again and when my sister phoned Sarsen they said they hadn't sent anyone to the house. I think they called the police."
Mr Sandford, a Second World War veteran, admitted he had been lucky nothing had been stolen on that occasion.
However, last Wednesday a week after their first visit, the same men came to the house again when he was alone.
But Mr Sandford had been told by police officers not to admit anyone unless he was sure of their identity.
He said: "I went to the door. I recognised one man from the week before. I told him to go and with my hand I pushed him away."
Mr Sandford said: "I remembered what the police told me. Otherwise they would have got in again."
l Three men have been arrested following two distraction offences against elderly people last Wednesday.
The first incident occurred at Durrington at 2.40pm when three men called at a house and tried unsuccessfully to gain admission.
It is believed the three then went to Raffin Lane in Pewsey.
They called at the house of a 77-year-old man saying they were from the water board and took his £500 savings.
A red Citroen AX car reported in the area was later seen being driven recklessly on the Marlborough to Swindon Road. It was seen to overtake dangerously, narrowly missing oncoming vehicles.
Items were also thrown from the car which was stopped by police at the Hay Lane travellers' site near Wroughton.
Police have appealed for witnesses who saw the car being driven erratically towards Chiseldon on Wednesday afternoon. They particularly want to hear from the driver of a Volvo which was nearly hit by the overtaking Citroen.
Anyone with information should call Det Con Nigel Porter on (01980) 623822 or the Crimestoppers line 0800 555 111.
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