Hawke's Bay Police are advising elderly residents, in particular, to be wary of a travelling group already wanted in Waikato who turn up at the front door offering to do painting work.
Police attended an incident in Hastings on Tuesday in which three men turned up at an Akina address and offered to paint the female resident's roof. The resident became suspicious after she saw one of them water down the paint and then claim he had finished after only two hours.
The "painter" demanded his money but the resident confronted him about his work and also his identity and threatened to call immigration. The group departed with alacrity.
Waikato Police are seeking a number of men for the same type of activity in their district.
It has been confirmed that the men being sought in the Waikato are the same group.