Crime: 16 February 2012

First a message from our local CID:

Jeff,
Can you do a circulation to your followers, regarding vehicles attending houses that are undergoing renovations out of normal working hours ?

We have had two incidents in the last couple of days, where a large quantity of copper piping and water tanks have been removed. The jobs are both overnight and would’ve required a van to commit.

Thanks
Tim

So, if a property in your road is being renovated, or is empty – can you keep your eye on it please. These houses are generally easy for thieves to locate – the skip gives it away !   Phone any supicicious activity through to the PEC on the 101 number – IF IN DOUBT – RING ANYWAY. Often these houses have the mains water connected. When the copper pipes / tanks are ripped out – the water damage is horrendous !

BY LOOKING AFTER OUR NEIGHBOURS – WE LOOK AFTER OURSELVES !!!

Next a message from PC Denise Jenkins from the Maidenhead Town centre Team:
Hi Jeff,

Please put the following out on community messaging.

Police from the Town Centre NHPT, are advising shoppers to keep their handbags secure and in their sight at all times.

In the last few days, two elderly ladies had their purses stolen, whilst out shopping in the town. One lady had her bag tied to her walking frame.  The offender removed it and left the scene. On the other occasion, a lady was queueing at the till, when her purse was removed from her handbag, which was on her trolley. In yet a further incident, a woman had her purse taken from her shopping trolley, as she was loading her purchases into her car. Can everyone please be on their guard at all times and report any suspicious activity to the police on the 101 number.

Regards

Denise

PC2332 Denise JENKINS
Neighbourhood Specialist Officer, Town Centre Unit,

Many of you will know about our Purse Bells ! I have purchased a new batch. If you go into the Reception desk at Maidenhead Police station – they have them behind the desk – free of charge. DON’T BE DIPPED !

Next.  I was at a meeting last week and mentioned ‘Nottingham Knockers’.  No-one knew what they were. Many of our new members, may also be unfamiliar with them. These are the young ‘unemployed’ lads, going from door to door, selling household products.  Many produce cards alleging they are just out of prison / deaf or dumb and are trying to make a living. Some may be legitimate, some are not. They may well be involved in a complicated scam, to locate elderly and vulnerable people and those who have large amounts cash stored in their homes. The simple NHW response to anyone calling door to door is – ‘WE DO NOT BUY GOODS AND SERVICES AT THE DOOR’. Everybody, across the entire Thames Valley, uses those exact words and it re-enforces the message to cold callers, not to bother, wherever they go. Please do not enter into conversation with them. Calmly and politely just close the door, with those words – then phone the police on 101 to alert us that they are in your road. Often when we stop check them, they have a long list of previous convictions. The reason for not entering conversation is simple. We are all very helpful. If one of these lads says they tried the house next door, but there was no reply – we might let slip that they are on holiday in Barbados and won’t be back for 3 weeks !!!! They work in the city and don’t get home before 9 p.m. each night !!!!! It is not worth the risk.

CRIME:
BISHAM, COOKHAM, HURLEY, THE WALTHAMS, LITTLEWICK GREEN & KNOWL HILL:
cookhamneighbourhood@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
15/2 – 16/2 Wednesday 1 p.m. / Thursday 8.50 a.m. Dean Lane, Cookham. Shed break – hinges unscrewed – garden equipment stolen hedge trimmer, strimmer, lawn mower and chain saw – all valuable items that will cost a lot to replace. The thieves must have been out and about previously, looking for potential targets – please, let us know if you see anyone, who is out of place in your community, wandering around. You know it makes sense. We also have a report of a builder working nearby having tools stolen !
13/2 – 14/2 Monday / Tuesday Grubwood Lane, Cookham Dean. Shed break – door forced – not known if anything stolen.
14/2 Tuesday 2.30 a.m. Hurley Lane. The CCTV camera at the front gates was removed and placed on the ground. Another CCTV camera was disabled. There were more CCTV cameras, which show a man wandering around the property. He even sat in a garden chair and had a cigarette. He then wandered around a little longer and walked off ! No attempt to break in.
13/2 Monday 7 a.m. / 9.20 p.m. Lutman’s Haven, Knwol Hill. Burglary via forced rear kitchen door. The thieves smashed the glass, reached in and removed the key – WHICH HAD BEEN LEFT IN THE LOCK – and opened the door from the outside. Laptops X 2, scanner and a 48’’ TV stolen. You all know the right thing to do re keys ! NO KEYS TO BE LEFT IN EXTERNAL DOORS, WHICH MAY BE VISIBLE FROM OUTSIDE !
13/2 – 14/2 Monday 5.30 p.m. / Tuesday 5.30 p.m. Mare Lane, Shurlock Row. Thieves climbed over a fence into a garden and cut the padlock from a ladder which they then stole.
15/2 – 16/2 Wednesday 6 p.m. / Thursday 9 a.m. Hills Hare, Cookham. Hedge cutter, leaf blower, power tools stolen.

BOYN HILL, COX GREEN & WOODLANDS PARK:
boynhillcoxgreennhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
13/2 Monday 12.30 p.m. / 5 p.m. Bannard’s Road. Unoccupied property – lead stolen from above a bay window.
12/2 – 15/2 Sunday 10 a.m. Wednesday 6.30 a.m. Cannon Lane. Garage break – lock forced – 2 valuable saddles stolen. Other valuable items ignored.

RIVERSIDE & BELMONT:
maidenheadriverside&belmontnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
15/2 Wednesday 6.30 p.m. / 11 p.m. St Lukes Road. Burglary via forced rear window – games consoles X 2 and a laptop stolen.
15/2 Wednesday 4 p.m. / 6 p.m. St Mark’s Road. Bike stolen from the rear of a property.
13/2 Monday 2.15 p.m. / 3 p.m. Linden Avenue. The owner is a repeat lead theft victim. The house was being decorated and someone was in the property with a van outside. They heard a noise and looked out. They then went to investigate and saw that a wheelie bin had been placed against the porch to access the roof. At attempt had been made to lift the lead once again. The thief had made off and was obviously disturbed. Lead and metal theft, are continuing as the price of scrap metal is still very high. I have attached a handout re the security marking of metal, prepared by Anne Chalmers our Crime Reduction Advisor, which you may find useful. Yet again, I am asking for help. If any of your neighbours, have lead visible from the road, can you all keep an eye on it and if suspicious vans start appearing at odd hours, please let us know immediately on 101.

INNER MAIDENHEAD:
maidenheadtowncentrenhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
NO CRIME TO REPORT

OLDFIELD & BRAY:
oldfield&braynhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
14/2 Tuesday 6.45 p.m. Nursery, Braywick Road. Rear window forced – computer and cash stolen.
12/2 – 13/2 Sunday 6 p.m. / Monday 2 p.m. Cleveland Close. Burglary via INSECURE rear door. Jewellery box and contents, plus wallet stolen. The jewellery box has been retrieved, found discarded in the alleyway between – Cleveland Close and Chauntry Road. Did you see anyone acting suspiciously in that area during these times ?

PINKNEYS GREEN & FURZE PLATT:
pinkneysgreen&furzeplattnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
13/2 – 14/2 Monday 6 p.m. / Tuesday 7.45 a.m. Courthouse Road. Shed break – lock forced – expensive bike stolen – 2 others ignored.
13/2 Monday 9.30 p.m. Lee Lane. Outhouse broken into. The owner heard the alarm sounding and went to investigate. They heard someone climbing over the fence, into next door’s garden.

SCAMS:
From Lesley – I got this email yesterday.  I do not work in the US, nor for a US company, so there is no way I would have any reason, to file a US tax return. It is obviously a new SCAM.

To Whom it May Concern,

We would like to notify you, that you are subject to a penalty for not filing the income tax return before January 31, 2012.

Please note, that IRS [Section 6038(b)(1)] specifies a pecuniary penalty of $10,000 for each [Form 5471] that is sent after the deadline stipulated for filing the income tax return, or does not contain the exhaustive data defined in [Section 6038(a)].

No penalty will be imposed if the company shows that the failure to meet the deadline for filing was based on ample grounds.

Get inside our official site to obtain more information.

Sincerely,
Internal Revenue Service United States
Department of the Treasury

Next one – the English and spelling alone sets it out as a scam:
Dear Jeff,
I smell another scam here. I have not opened the attachment. I do have an account with Co-op Bank, but do not use internet banking with them.
Regards,
Martin

Dear Customer,

We detected irregular activity on your Co-operativebank Internet banking account on 11/02/2012.

For your protection, you must verify this activity before you can continue using your account.

Please download the document attached to this email to review your account activity.

We will review the activity on your account with you and upon verification,

and we will remove any restrictions placed on your account.


If you choose to ignore our request, you leave us no choise but to temporaly suspend your account.

We ask that you allow at least 72 hours for the case to be investigated and we strongly recommend to verefy (sic) your account in that time.

Best Regards,

Co-operative bank p.l.c - Internet Banking