Crime: 30 April 2012

I have just been speaking to a utility company ‘meter reader’ in the police station.  She came in, as she was concerned about the number of people that just let her into their homes, without asking for any form of ID.  Last night she went to the home of an elderly woman at 7.30 p.m. and again the door was opened and no questions were asked.  She was also concerned by the number of front doors left ajar, or on the latch !  I have signed her up to Thames Valley Alert and she is going to raise this with her company and prepare some advice on best practice, for me to send out.  I mentioned that we no longer ask people to check IDs, as no-one has any idea what they look like.  She has 2 IDs; one for the Electricity Company her company represents and one for the Gas Company.  I explained that was why we, promote passwords.  She agreed this would be ideal.  On her hand held reader, it shows if a password has been set, so if asked, she can tell you what your password is.  In the past several years, she has only been asked what the password was ……………..once !  She does have a trustworthy face – but we should all be setting passwords, with all utility companies that have to come into our houses to read meters – and – making sure we ask for them before letting anyone in.  You know it makes sense.

For our Farms and rural areas – I have this morning put this out to Ascot and it may be relevant for you - lock those gates and secure metal items :

26/4 – 29/4  Thursday / Sunday  Farm, London Road .  Gate forced open and galvanised water trough stolen.

Just a correction for you…..

Hi Jeff,

Just a trivial point.  Maidenhead is served by South East Water.

 John

What would I do without you all.  It is better to be correct.
Thanks John.

CRIME:

BISHAM, COOKHAM, HURLEY, THE WALTHAMS, LITTLEWICK GREEN & KNOWL HILL:

cookhamneighbourhood@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk

27/4 – 28/5  Friday 8 p.m. / Saturday noon   Burchetts green Lane, Burchetts Green.  1,200 litres of Heating oil stolen.  Thieves had unscrewed the pipe at the bottom of the tank.  The tank had only just been refilled.  Most tanks will be refilled after the winter around now.  Can everyone secure them as best they can and check them regularly ?  Unless you look you won’t know the oil is gone until the heating etc goes off !

29/4  Sunday.  1 a.m.   Gallery, High Street, Cookham.  Painting stolen in burglary.  Thames Valley Police is appealing for witnesses, after a painting was stolen from an art gallery in Cookham, in the early hours of Sunday (29/4).

At just before 1am , an offender smashed a window at the Stanley Spencer Gallery in the High Street and stole a painting on display inside. Police were alerted by a member of the public.

The painting is entitled ‘Cookham from Englefield’ (dated 1948) and is by the British artist Sir Stanley Spencer. It is privately owned and had been on loan to the gallery.  

Investigating officer Det Con Iain Watkinson, of Force CID in Maidenhead, said: “The painting is very distinctive and it holds a great deal of sentimental value to the owners. The owners and the gallery are both devastated by its loss.

“I would like to speak to anyone who saw any suspicious vehicles in the area, or a person or people acting suspiciously, around the time of the burglary.

“I would also urge people working in the art industry to be vigilant and be aware this painting has been stolen.”

If you can help, please call Det Con Watkinson via the 24-hour Police Enquiry Centre on 101.

If you don't want to speak directly to the police you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org. No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.

A photo of the painting is attached

BOYN HILL, COX GREEN & WOODLANDS PARK :

boynhillcoxgreennhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk

26/4 – 27/4  Thursday  10 p.m. / Friday 8 a.m.   Brunel Road .  Passenger wing mirror damaged – ongoing issues of vandalism for years.

26/4 – 27/4  Thursday 11 p.m. / Friday 9.30 a.m.   Audley Drive .  Attempt to break into lean-to - no entry gained.

RIVERSIDE & BELMONT :

maidenheadriverside&belmontnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk

28/4  Saturday 1.25 a.m.   The Crescent.  4 lads seen jumping on cars – they were arrested.

26/4 – 27/4  Thursday 7 p.m. / Friday 8.15 p.m.   Belmont Vale.  Index plates stolen.

26/4 – 27/4  Thursday  8 p.m. / Friday 2 p.m.   Ellington Park .  Rear garden entered – dirt bike stolen – shed searched but nothing stolen.

26/4 – 27/4  Thursday  11.30 p.m. / Friday 1.30 p.m.   Belmont Vale.  Index plates stolen from a car.

30/4  Monday 1 p.m.   Ray Mill Road West .  White lorry seen to pull up and remove metal items from a garden.

INNER MAIDENHEAD:

maidenheadtowncentrenhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk

NO CRIME TO REPORT

OLDFIELD & BRAY:

oldfield&braynhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk

27/4 – 28/4  Friday 1.30 p.m. / 9.50 p.m.   Business, Priors Way .  Compound broken into – lock removed – plastic oil drums stolen – is this connected to the theft of heating oil above ???

28/4 – 29/4  Saturday 10.30 p.m. / Sunday 10 a.m.   Paley Street .  Shed and garage break – padlocks removed – pressure washer and drill stolen.  White transit see driving slowly and suspiciously around the area.

29/4  Sunday midnight / 7 a.m.   Paley Street . Shed break – door pulled off – tools and power drill stolen.

PINKNEYS GREEN & FURZE PLATT:

Pinkneysgreen&furzeplattnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk

30/4  Monday 0.30 7.30 a.m.   Farm Road.  Burglary via patio doors – old marks to the door.  Laptops X 2 and camera stolen.

27/4 – 28/5  Friday 8.15 p.m. / Saturday 8.30 a.m.   St Marks Crescent .  Car driver’s window smashed – car searched – loose change stolen.

28/4  Saturday 0.45 a.m. / 7 a.m.   Pinkneys Road .  Burglary via rear conservatory door – garage and study searched – NO SIGN OF FORCED ENTRY – mobile, laptops X3 with bags and accessories stolen.

MEMBERS ADVICE:

I put out a request on Friday, about a lost Weimeraner.  I am sorry to say she has not been found and may have suffered an accident, on the railway line, or road nearby.  I am always staggered and uplifted by the amount of support, goodwill and advice that is available from our members out there.  This morning I received this email, which I think is a brilliant piece of advice for any dog owner:

Hi Jeff,

We are receive your community messaging and recently got the one with the lost Weimeraner, I have spoken to the owners, who had still not found their girl on Saturday 28th, but thought I would recommend something for owners of errant dogs.

We have three German Shepherds and lost our girl last year, while visiting family.  We vowed it would never happen again and after much research, came across a tracking collar system which has a GPS tracker fitted into it.  It can be tracked on most smart phones and on a PC.  It gives a 'live' track of where the dog is, by updating every few minutes, using mobile phone masts and GPS.

We have spoken to many people at village shows, who had questioned what the collar did, most were very surprised the technology was available and several had said they wanted one.

The company which supplies it have been great to deal with and we have collars for all three of our dogs.  We are in no way affiliated with them and this is not a sales pitch in any way, but we have had the terrible feeling of losing one of our dogs and so if this helps even one person, then that's great.

Hope it helps

Marc

Marc has supplied me with the website address – so if you feel this would be of use to you – just email me below and I will send the address to you.

‘DIPPERS’

Jeff,

You might want to warn people to be careful at train stations.  I had my purse lifted from my handbag a month ago.  They used a classic distraction technique.  I was getting on the train to Slough and heading for the first car.  I was pulling a small suitcase, carrying a carrier bag and had my handbag over my shoulder, towards the back.  A man ran ahead of me, to get in the train and then stood in the middle of the entrance, so that I could not go left, nor right.  He kept saying something about the train in a heavy accent and I thought he was confused about where the train was going.  In the meantime, two people behind me were opening the zipper of my handbag and removing my purse.   He then suddenly stopped and said something to the two people behind me, who I happened to see, as I turned round to watch where he was going.  As I sat down, I realized my handbag was open and my purse gone. 

The police were very helpful and drove me around, looking for them.  They ended up driving me to the train station in Slough , where I ended up only being delayed by one train to meet my friends in Thatcham.  I didn’t have any cash in my purse but plenty of credit cards which had to be cancelled and replaced.  So far no fraudulent charges, have shown up. 

I should have known better, but I think I felt safe on Windsor station and so was caught out.  This may only get worse as the Olympics start up. 

Regards,

Cathy

The answer is simple.  Go into Windsor , Ascot or Maidenhead Police stations and ask for some cat / purse bells !  These are 2 bells with a clip, to attach them to your purse.  The jingling may drive you mad – or those around you – but no-one will ever steal your purse without your knowledge.  As you walk around, your bag may jingle, letting thieves know not to bother ‘dipping’ you !  We have already distributed 5,000 purse bells and have just ordered another 5,000 !  If you know your PCSO they can supply them to you if you don’t want to come into town.

NEXT:

Jeff

I am a volunteer at RSPCA Millbrook in Chobham. Recently two men reporting to be from the RSPCA knocked on doors in Lightwater, collecting money. A friend contacted me as she knows I work for them, to see if this is legitimate. I have checked with Woking branch (who cover Lightwater) and they have checked with HQ and these men are definitely not legitimate.

I know Lightwater comes under Surrey Police (my friend who originally contacted me is contacting her police contact in that force) but it seems logical that they may come into Thames Valley so I wanted to make you aware.

Thanks

Jo