Police Newsletter

First – the question of Nottingham Knockers.

These are the young unemployed lads / making their way after leaving prison – going door to door, selling household products. What are we asking you, do to about them ?

1. You do not buy anything from them. We would like everyone to use the same words – ‘I am sorry, I do not buy goods and services at the door’ then firmly, but politely, close and lock the door.

2. Then – you go inside and phone to police, to let us know. We will want a full description of the lad, the clothes he is wearing and direction of travel.

This is part of an elaborate scam, to locate elderly and vulnerable residents, who have cash stored in the house. The lads just gather that information, which is then passed onto others.

We had Nottingham Knockers twice I believe this week and I have received this, from a member in Maidenhead:

Hi Jeff

We had some Nottingham knockers around last tonight. I called it in to the PEC on the 101 non emergency number. I was rather disappointed, because despite you asking us to call it in, the person taking the call, seemed surprised that I was making such a call. He almost doubted me for calling it in, which made me doubt, whether I should be or not.

I just hope a dispatch car was sent before the call was finished, as it took an age to report it.

Was I right to report them?

Lynn

I am taking this up internally and mentioned this at this morning’s briefing. YES - WE DO WANT YOU TO CALL. If you get this sort of response, simply say you have been asked to report these lads to us, by the Watch Administrator and you are just doing as requested. Then ask to speak to a supervisor / team leader. Please also ask which PEC you are speaking to, so that I can follow it up as a training issue.

I can add that a car was dispatched immediately, 2 lads were found and spoken to. Both were on bail for burglary offences elsewhere........enough said ???

Next a car to be aware of. The police are interested in the whereabouts / activity of a

Silver Vauxhall Vectra index T 213 RVT

which we believe is involved in crime. Any sightings to the PEC please, date, time, location, direction of travel and descriptions of all occupants

CRIME:

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

cookhamneighbourhood@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk

Neighbourhood Page:

http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/yournh-tvp-pol-area-n107

30/10 6.45 p.m. / 9.15 p.m. Pub, Bisham Road, Bisham. Car rear windscreen smashed with a stone – laptop stolen from behind the passenger seat.

30/10 – 31/10 Tuesday midnight / Wednesday 10 a.m. Pub, Burchetts Green Road, Burchetts Green. Car keyed with offensive graffiti.

29/10 Monday 9.44 p.m. Pub, Bath Road, Littlewick Green. Car passenger window smashed – handbag stolen. This was witnessed and reported. 3 or 4 lads, too young to drive, made off down the A4 towards the Thickett Roundabout. Has anyone found a discarded handbag ? It could show us the route the thieves took.

BOYN HILL, COX GREEN & WOODLANDS PARK:

boynhillcoxgreennhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk

Neighbourhood Page:

http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/yournh-tvp-pol-area-n108

29/10 – 30/10 Sunday 8 p.m. / Monday 9.30 a.m. Grenfell Road. Car driver’s window forced – dashboard damaged in an unsuccessful attempt to steal the car.

30/10 Monday Somersby Crescent, Cox Green. Thieves have climbed over a 6’ rear fence and broken into a shed by removing the screws from the hinges (you all know about non return screws ? It would take 10 minutes to replace them). They left via a locked gate at the front of the property. Socket set, circular saw and a set of drills stolen.

RIVERSIDE & BELMONT:

maidenheadriverside&belmontnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk

Neighbourhood Page:

http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/yournh-tvp-pol-area-n192

30/10 – 31/10 Tuesday 7 p.m./ Wednesday 2 a.m. Vicarage Road. Car ENTERED BY UNKNOWN MEANS – SAT NAV and fishing rod stolen.

30/10 Monday 0.10 a.m. Garage, St Mark’s Road. CCTV shows offenders walking amongst and looking into the cars parked on the forecourt. They then try to force the door unsuccessfully. They then smashed the glass and climbed in. Unknown if anything stolen.

29/10 Monday 3.15 p.m. – 3.25 p.m. Bridge Road. Car ENTERED BY UNKNOWN MEANS – handbag stolen.

28/10 – 29/10 Sunday 5.30 p.m. / Monday 6.30 a.m. Quay, Ray Mead Road. Secure gate to underground car park forced – Wendy house searched – 8 bottles of brandy stolen.

INNER MAIDENHEAD:

maidenheadtowncentrenhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk

Neighbourhood Page:

http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/yournh-tvp-pol-area-n193

NO CRIME TO REPORT.

OLDFIELD & BRAY:

oldfield&braynhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk

Neighbourhood Page:

http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/yournh-tvp-pol-area-n206

28/10 – 29/10 Sunday 10 a.m. / Monday 7 a.m. Holyport Road, Holyport. Car left INSECURE – SAT NAV and loose change stolen.

PINKNEYS GREEN & FURZE PLATT:

Pinkneysgreen&furzeplattnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk

Neighbourhood Page:

http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/yournh-tvp-pol-area-n213

30/10 Monday 3.30 a.m. / 9.30 a.m. Edith Road. Van rear door lock forced – Hedge trimmer, leaf blower and strimmer stolen.

MEMBERS COMMENTS:

I have had this in from Farzana re the cash till frauds. It is not always easy to know which cash tills do and do not have, cameras. My advice is always to get ‘cashback’ from one of the major supermarkets. They offer this service, to reduce the amount of banking they have to do and cash on the premises. I really agree with her idea to help those elderly / vulnerable people you know, to be more technologically aware. It is hard enough at my advanced years, but still working, to keep up; but I have a son in the IT industry who does all that for me. On my own, I would find it very difficult to know where to turn for good unbiased advice – that I could understand.

Hi Jeff,

It's certainly very worrying to know these kinds of crimes being carried out in the area. Well I kindly would like to suggest to our RBWM community something which may or (may not) help and this is for the email referenced for elderly couple and ATM issue....2 things I would like to suggest a) Only try to use those ATMs which has CCTVs that will at least help to identify criminals (there are some ATMs with CCTVs ....at least I know one in maidenhead town centre which is of Barclays) where possible use them b) there is also a new card with technology Barclays has introduced called 'contactless' which means you don't have to put your pin every time you do any purchase which is less then £20....Thus makes it easy to buy a cup of coffee or any smaller transaction and no need to worry about change or looking for money in a purse or using cards and inputting pins or keep cash...etc...for these kind of purchase just look for contactless symbol....I can take a photo and send that symbol if it help or if anyone need they can contact Barclays or go online to read more about it...or go to their own bank to check if they offer this service.....I do understand that 'contactless' technology isn't available in every shop but if we can generate demand supply will come automatically.

Also I would like to suggest that community can run a initiate whereby some people with latest technology knowledge (or even big banks can or should offer this initiative) can do house to house awareness session for elderly people to prevent them from such kind of frauds and making them about new technologies or help them to do their financials in more safer way....I am sure all big and reputable banks or financial institutions would like to protect their customer and can have these kind of exceptions for elderly people.

Not sure whether my mail is of any use but I find is useful to use these little techniques to have more secure financials and household....against highly advanced technology criminals....

Many thanks for being our eyes and ears

Cheers

Farzana (proud to be part of RBWM)

I really hope this generates some real discussion, to find a solution to this issue.

I have been in contact with Fiona Winrow who runs the Windsor and Maidenhead Voluntary Action. She says she is really happy to help anyone who wants to any form of volunteering in the borough. I have attached a flier she sent me with full details of the service she manages.

Theft of Bikes:

I have had this in from Emma-Louise and it does raise a real issue with regard to bike security. In the past, I have put out that you can buy bike alarm locks (Redline security the retail arm of Solon Security 01352 762266 – sales@solonsecurity.co.uk) to attach to any bike parked up. It goes off as soon as anyone moves or tampers with it, unless it has been disarmed. Bikes – particularly valuable ones – do need additional precautions. Thieves may target and follow them home ! Again, I put out a good alternative to the recommended sinking an attachment post into the ground, for a substantial chain ! This came from a co-ordinator in Ascot – many thanks - buy some very heavy chain and a bucket. Put the chain in the bucket, leaving a loop exposed – then fill the bucket with concrete !!! A perfect securing point. Until you can do something like this, always attach something noisy to the bike so that if anyone touches / moves in in the night – it makes a loud noise !

Hi Jeffrey,

Unfortunately, a bike was stolen from my house from inside a locked gate!!

The owner of the bike has now reported this to Thames Valley Police and was given a crime reference number.

My house is located on the main road with plenty street lighting. I have deliberately changed my ‘open gate’, to a closed gate with a lock.

I have also installed a security light and STILL a valuable bike got stolen (worth approx £1000).

It is soooo disheartening that this can still happen – no matter how secure you make your property.

What else can one do???!!!

Try the above and if it is a bike worth this amount of money, it must be secured out of site. If it was in a garage, they would have had to break into that too – another chance for them to be heard – a garage / shed alarm and security light !

Next – unwanted calls on the phone !

Hi Jeff,

Please advise and share if you think this is useful.
In the past, I politely told unsolicited callers from 'unavailable' or 'international' numbers that they should not call me, because I was on the Telephone Preference List.

Now, if I establish that a call from an 'unavailable' or 'international' number is dodgy, I merely blow a sports whistle, long and loud, down the receiver and say 'This is a fault' , mimicking a computer voice.

I think the number of such calls I receive, has diminished.

Gerry

Next – notification from Ian of a bike abandoned in a ditch in Broadmoor Road !

Hi Jeff:

Thought this might be helpful: attached is a photo taken yesterday on Broadmoor Road (Waltham St Lawrence/White Waltham border) almost exactly opposite the entry to Downfield Lane. It looks to be in decent condition and I wondered if it might have been stolen and then dumped. It’s a blue, mountain-type bike, brand name is British Eagle.

Kind Regards

Ian

I have attached Ian’s photo for you.

Re unsolicited telephone calls, this is the advice from Bob in the Windsor PEC !!

Hi Jeff,

I have taken quite a few calls into the PEC where people calling from companies such as this, have been intimidating to the caller.

If people are plagued by this type of call, I suggest answering with just a simple ‘hello’. If there is not an immediate voice response, then you have been called by an automated system. A real human, will respond to you right away. If you don't get an immediate response to your ‘hello’, then hang up right away.

Regards Bob

More about unsolicited calls from Barclaycard:

Jeff,
I have also had these calls, but they were genuine. Barclays will ring you and ask you to answer a number of multiple choice security questions. In my case it was to do with suspect purchases made with my card. My card was stopped, until I rang the fraud dept and got it reinstated.

I Hope this helps

Phil

Hi Jeff,

I thought you might be interested in some strange calls that I have had recently. The persons calling, claim to be from a company called ‘PPI Claims’. They start the conversation by telling you that you are entitled to a refund for PPI paid on a recent loan. I generally do not accept these calls and hang up, but I keep getting these calls and I was curious to see how far they would go. I asked the caller “What loan was this for then?” The caller said the car loan you had a few years ago. I then followed this up with - “Which bank was this with then?” He then tried to divert me, with information about how much I could potentially receive back. I persisted and told the caller - “you are not listening to me, which bank was this with” ? He eventually said that it was ‘with .... Barclays’. I then informed the caller that I have never, ever, banked with Barclays in my life and suggested to him that he was just trying to get my personal details to clear out my bank account. At this point he hung up.

You may want to warn others who could quite easily fall for this scam.

Kind Regards,

Paul

All of us will be receiving text after text from people re PPI Insurance, but voice mails and phone calls have now started and are on the increase.

Some responses already to Chris’ challenge !!!

Hi Jeff

Tell Chris I am really impressed he managed to keep the Microsoft callers on the phone for twenty minutes I think I have only managed about three minutes and they put the phone down on me. I must try harder!!!!

Regards

Liz

Mark has just emailed me to say, he has an email from the Inland Revenue ! Apparently, they have a rebate to send to him – if he clicks on the link to verify his details !!

I thought that trick went out in the dark ages now !!!