Page 80 of The Other Side

“This is PCSO Drummond, everyone. Let’s give him a warm welcome.”

There was a polite round of applause.

“Good morning, everyone! Thank you so much for having me here today, and thank you to the staff for setting this up. It’s wonderful to see so many of you volunteering to be interrogated.”

That got him the laugh he’d hoped for.

“For those who don’t know me, and that’s probably everyone apart from Ms Lee, my name is Drummond and I am your local Police Community Support Officer—or PCSO for short. I replaced Matthew Green and I don’t know if you’ve heard the news, but Matthew has been found safe and well.”

A loud buzz went around the room.

“Oh my goodness. Is he all right?” Tricia asked.

“He’s not hurt, but I don’t know any details. Sorry.”

“Where’s he been for the last four months?” someone called.

“I really don’t know any more than the fact that he’s back and he’s okay.”

He let the room settle down, then took a deep breath. “I know when someone in uniform walks into a room, the automatic response is to worry that there’s trouble. But not when you see me. My job is to be out in the community, getting to know you and helping you feel safe and secure. Places like this are fantastic because you already have a wonderful network of neighbours and staff looking out for you. My goal today is simply to add an extra layer to that security.”

“Do you carry handcuffs?” a woman asked.

Oh God. “No, I don’t.”

“How can you protect us then?” she asked.

“Not everything requires force. I hope I’d be able to talk someone round.”

“You could talk me round,” an old lady said.

Everyone laughed, even Drum.

He carried on before he got sidetracked. “One thing I want to warn you about today is scamming. It’s dishonest and illegal to trick people out of money, property, or personal information. Changes in lifestyle, along with advances in technology have enabled people to find more ways to take advantage of others. We all need to be aware of how we can be tricked. I’d like to share a few quick, practical reminders on how to keep yourselves and your belongings safe.

“For example, if someone knocks on your door, unless it’s a friend you’re expecting, always ask for ID. A genuine caller will wait while you check with staff.”

“If in doubt,” Tricia said. “Don’t open your door, call the desk or press your emergency button.”

“You need to take care with phone calls too or if you use a computer,” Drum continued. “Scammers are clever. They’ll claim to be calling from your bank or your credit card company, or you’ll get an email from some distant relative, or a friend of someone you know who needs money quickly. They know the ways to tug at your heart. They have a child with cancer, need money to pay for special treatment, or they’re a friend of your grandson who’s been in an accident and had all his money stolen along with his phone.”

“Or they’re a prince who wants to give his money away,” someone shouted.

“That too,” Drum said. “Emails that address you as ‘my dear’ are automatically suspicious.”

“Did you hear that, Victor?” a lady said.

“But you are all my dears,” a man said with a laugh.

“Then Victor might be an exception,” Drum said. “But be aware. Speak to Tricia or a member of staff. No one should be asking you for your PIN, or for you to transfer money to some supposedly safe account. If in doubt, hang up. Tell a staff member, tell a member of your family, call us.”

“These people are cunning,” Tricia said. “We had one lady a year ago who fell victim to their lies. We don’t want another.”

“That’s it really,” Drum said. “You know to call 999 in an emergency. 101 if it’s not an emergency. I don’t want to do all the talking today. I’m going to stick around for a bit, have a cup of tea, and I’ll answer any questions you have. Thank you all so much for your time.”

“Have they caught anyone yet for the murder of that lady?” someone asked.

“Not that I know of.”