Behind closed doors – how to spot the signs of cuckooing

Behind closed doors – how to spot the signs of cuckooing

Resident,

Cuckooing is when criminals exploit a vulnerable person and take over their home – we need you to report this if you see it happening in your community.

Victims can be targeted for a number of reasons:

Being in recovery from alcohol or drug dependency

Neurodiversity or brain disorder (e.g. dementia)

Financial insecurity (poverty)

Housing insecurity and homelessness

Loneliness, social isolation and/or lack of support network

Age (i.e. older people)

Being a lone female parent experiencing emotional or financial difficulties

Involvement in sex work

Young people living alone for the first time

A history of being in the care system / being a recent care leaver

Present or prior experience of neglect, physical and / or sexual abuse

Connections to those who are vulnerable (e.g. the homeless; substance users) and/or those involved in street gangs or county lines activity

Often, criminals will build a connection with a victim before taking advantage of them and taking over their home.

Reporting it

The person whose home is being used for the drugs activity may be unlikely to report it themselves, as they worry about losing a friendship or access to money or drugs.

This is why we need on neighbours, friends and family members to report it to us. You can do this via our website, Facebook page or by calling 101. If there’s an immediate risk or threat, please call 999.

You can also report it anonymously via CrimeStoppers.

Below is a list that includes many common warning signs of cuckooing, if you’re not sure, report it so that your concerns can be checked:

Common warning signs

The victim not being seen by neighbours for a while

People remaining in the property while the victim is out

Reports of an illegal sub-let

Unfamiliar people driving the victim’s car, or being driven by the victim

Curtains or blinds being closed during the day

Gardens becoming overgrown

Children and young people with no known connection to the victim seen entering the property

An increase in the number of visitors to a property, with visits being brief in duration and occurring around the clock

An increase in bikes, mopeds and vehicles (including taxis and hire cars) arriving at the property, or parking close by

People arriving in expensive cars

Groups of people congregating in front gardens or at the back of a property

An increase in litter outside of the property, including takeaway boxes and discarded drugs paraphernalia (e.g. foil, syringes, cling film)

External doors being propped open

Damage to doors and windows

Graffiti

Unknown people pressing buzzers to gain access to buildings

An increase in theft in the local area

Loud parties (that may generate noise complaints from neighbours)

Cuckooing can often affect the surrounding area – by reporting it you could help us to disrupt serious organised crime impacting your community.

PC Jack Sheldon, who works to tackle substance misuse in Derbyshire, said: “You might just have that instinct that something doesn’t seem right with your neighbour – if you’re seeing any of the signs we’ve described, please report it to us.

“If it’s a friend or relative that you’re concerned about, they might be reluctant to reach out for help, for fear of repercussions or losing access to drugs or money.

“By reporting it, you can help us to build a bigger picture, take action where necessary and put safeguards in place.”

You can contact us using one of the below methods to report concerns:

Website – We have crime reporting tools on our website: https://www.derbyshire.police.uk/

Facebook – send us a private message to the Derbyshire Constabulary Facebook page

Phone – call us on 101

You can also anonymously contact the independent charity CrimeStoppers, on 0800 555 111, or by visiting the CrimeStoppers website: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/

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Message Sent By
Scott Hunt
(Police, PCSO, Amber Valley)