Drug dealers or criminals worm their way into the flats, houses, dwellings of vulnerable residents and use them for meetings, storing drugs and general hangouts.

Sometimes the residents get locked away in a small side-room other times the residents gets made to feel as part of a group and to see the visitors as friends.

signs of cuckooing include:

• suspicious items in the property, such as weighing scales, multiple phones, sim cards, drug paraphernalia, cash and other valuable items
• conversely the property may appear almost sparse of valuable possessions inside and begin to go into a state of disrepair both inside and out
• doors and windows, which have been blocked off
• new faces appearing at the property and the property regularly changing residents
• presence of unknown people in the property, who may act as friends of the inhabitant
• more people than normal entering the property, or people arriving and leaving at unusual times
• possible increase in anti-social behaviour in and around the property and increased litter such as drinks cans and takeaway packaging outside the property
• cars arriving at the property for short periods of times
• signs of drug use and open drug dealing

Report online to police or crime stoppers

Cuckooed residents may be the victims of crime and the council in partnership with the police, will also provide support to the cuckooed resident. Council can also take steps to prevent people entering addresses, which are being used for cuckooing. This can help deter any criminal activity and anti-social

, which have a detrimental impact on local residents.

You may use our reporting sheet to make a note of incidents.