The Sudbury & Haverhill Neighbourhood Policing Team (Suffolk Constabulary) issued a safety warning on 5 February 2026 after a group of unauthorised door-to-door sellers began targeting homes in Haverhill, Suffolk. These individuals often use a specific sales tactic to pressure residents into buying overpriced household items on their doorsteps.
Known as Nottingham Knockers, these sellers often claim to be part of a rehabilitation scheme for ex-offenders to gain sympathy from homeowners. Suffolk Trading Standards has clarified that they are not part of any recognised government rehabilitation programme that involves door-to-door sales, and the items are frequently sold at a large markup.
Police warn that these visits are sometimes used as a way to gather information about a property — for example, how long it takes for someone to answer the door or whether cash is kept in accessible places. That information can be used to plan future crimes such as burglaries in the area.
Residents are being urged to ‘lock, stop, chain and check’ before answering unexpected callers and to ask to see a valid Pedlar’s Certificate if someone claims to be a legitimate door-to-door seller. If a seller becomes aggressive or refuses to leave, report the incident to police on 101 or via the Suffolk Police website, and notify Suffolk Trading Standards (reporting details are published by Trading Standards and local police).
Operation Repeat and local safety advisers say homeowners should not feel rude for refusing doorstep sellers and simply closing the door. Authorities also note that legitimate local charities and verified collectors will generally announce their presence or collections in advance, whereas these travelling groups do not.
