THE number of “doorstep crimes” involving rogue traders and cold callers who take advantage of householders has dropped in Oxfordshire for the second year running.

For the year ending April 2013, figures show there were 400 incidents, compared with 480 the previous year and 524 the year before that – a drop of about 24 per cent.

Richard Webb, head of trading standards, told Oxfordshire County Council’s safer and stronger communities scrutiny committee there was “no clear reason” for the reduction.

But he said: “One trend has been larger or more complex cases.

“This is partly because of knowledge of different groups involved in issues, so something we might have thought was an isolated incident we realised was linked to other issues. “But it demands more time to deal with issues effectively.”

Bicester councillor Lawrie Stratford suggested using an email alert system to keep people informed about potential rogue traders or fraudsters operating in the area.

Mr Webb said trading standards had used the Thames Valley Police alert system in the past and would do so again.