I hope you found the message yesterday from Supt Tim De Meyer enlightening. He is always working on your behalf inside the police station emphasising the level of service you expect from the police. He mentioned a new scheme we are considering, when dealing with young offenders. Many of you will have heard about Restorative Justice. If a young person commits a crime, we try and persuade the victim to meet the offender face to face in a controlled environment, to explain how they have been personally affected and the perhaps hidden consequences of their actions. This has proved to be very effective or a certain group of initial offenders. Unfortunately not all victims agree to this face to face meeting, but the process still has to take place, a police officer taking the place of the victim. This loses the effectiveness of the basic concept. We are hoping to find 'surrogate' victims who are willing to go face to face with young offenders and explain the effect of an action / crime in their particular case. A real situation, rather than a created substitute.

Have you been the victim of crime ? We do not feel that the crime you suffered and the offence being dealt with needs to be identical, or even similar. The effect will come from a real person / member of the public confronting the behaviour of a young offender and explaining the consequences. If you have been a victim, you will know the anger, frustration it causes and perhaps the subsequent fear it engenders, would you be willing to participate in a pilot scheme ? You may find it therapeutic as well, if you did not get a chance to vent your frustrations when you were victimised. If you would like to chat about this or get further details please contact Sgt Dave Wright on 01753 835 578 or email him for further details on david.wright@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk  We are always trying new ways to stop these young people offending or starting on that path.

As the warmer weather approaches we have a tendency to leave windows open at night. As you will see below, this can have crime consequences - you do not want someone climbing in at night when you are in bed ! be really vigilant about what windows you leave open. If they can be accessed from a garage / extension roof or a porch, they cannot be left open unless you fit a window limiter. These are easily obtainable from major DIY stores and you can lock a window open a few inches. You cannot leave a small fanlight window open, if someone can reach in through it to open a larger window they could climb in.

CRIME:

BISHAM, COOKHAM, HURLEY & THE WALTHAMS:

24/4 8 p.m. Bisham Road. Wooden garage broken into - tools stolen.

27/4 6 - 10 p.m. Sutton Road. Car rear windscreen smashed - suitcases and passports stolen.

28/4 7 - 9.30 p.m. Pub in Paley Street - Car passenger door lock forced - Rucksack stolen.

27/4 - 28/4 Lea View Cottages, Dean Lane, Cookham Dean. Car driver's window smashed - CDs, SAT NAV, and cash stolen.

BOYN HILL, COX GREEN & WOODLANDS PARK|:

26/4 - 27/4 Cannon Lane. Ford Focus had 2 hubcaps stolen.

24/4 - 28/4 Altwood Road. Garage door jemmied open - laptop stolen.

28/4 5.45 Boyn Valley Road. Garden ornaments and flowers damaged. A man was arrested.

25/4 9.30 p.m. car window smashed with a brick and body work dented.

27/4 - 28/4 Grenfell Road. White smiley face spray painted in white on the bonnet of a car.

RIVERSIDE & BELMONT:

26/4 - 27/4 Crescent Drive. Letter P in red paint on house.

26/4 - 27/4 Fairford Road. Letters BC sprayed in silver on the garage door.

26/4 - 27/4 Marlow Road. Letter painted on house.

I very much doubt if these are gypsy markings. They usually use symbols. I did mention in a Ringmaster a week or so ago that kids mark areas, where they can access unsecured wireless internet connections. It is more likely to be connected with that. Please remember to secure any wireless systems you have !

OLDFIELD & BRAY:

27/4 - 28/4 Springfield Park. Car driver's window smashed - SAT NAV Stolen.

PINKNEYS GREEN & FURZE PLATT:

27/4 - 28/4 Alwyn Road. Car wing mirror broken off.

27/4 4 - 5 a.m. Switchback Close. Burglary. The owner heard noises in the night, but thought it was a cat. In the morning they found thieves had climbed onto the porch roof and into an insecure window - jewellery and cash stolen.

29/4 Oaken Grove. Burglary through forced rear patio doors - handbags and laptops stolen.