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Crime: 16 January 2013

 

Several things to begin with:

 

1.   I have had increased reports about calls re the Windows / Microsoft Scam.  This is where a company calls you, saying they work for Microsoft / Windows and they can see from their records / equipment that your computer is running slowly.  They can assist and speed it up.  None of this is true.  They don’t work for Microsoft and in any event, Microsoft cannot ‘see’ anything about your computer / laptop.  The scam works – when they ask you to type in some text and press ‘run’.  This installs a proxy programme into your computer, they can take control of your screen and of course hard drive.  They run a diagnostic programme, which always comes up with unnecessary temporary files etc.  While doing this, they are also trawling through and copying anything they want, from your hard drive and of course, installing any programmes they want, at the same time.  They are looking for online paypal / bank / building accounts and of course passwords – possibly access programmes.  At the end of all this, when they maintain they have cleaned your computer, they admit there is a charge – minimal - usually £67.  They will of course want to be paid over the internet.....That involves you giving them a credit / bankcard and of course, your security number on the back !!!!!!

2.  Nottingham Knockers – These are the young lads going door to door, selling household products.  I have a report that they were in Windsor yesterday.  This is also a scam.  The lads can keep whatever they earn over a small amount they have to pay their boss for the bag and contents.  They know the products are ‘substandard’, you know they are.  Usually, people pay them something, just to go away.  The scam works this way – Phase 1 - you buy rubbish, knowing it is rubbish, you can therefore easily be parted from your money – Just the target group are looking for. – Phase 2 – How long does it take you to go and get the cash ?  if you come back quickly with a purse / wallet – they are not interested.  The longer you take, the more interested they are. - Phase 3 – You return with a ‘note’ in payment – they are not interested in cash / coins, only notes.  The condition of the note, can tell them if you have a ‘stash’ in the house – a crisp, clean, flat note is what they are after.  They are not interested in crumpled notes from a purse / wallet.  A crisp, clean flat note – means a stash.  Phase 4 – They smell the note.  The longer it has been stored in the house, the mustier it might smell – the longer it has been stored, the more there is !!!  If you tick these 4 boxes, they note your address.  This is passed back to the boss and they get an extra payment, for each address supplied – this is the whole purpose of the exercise – to locate elderly and vulnerable people, with stashes of cash in their houses.  Those addresses are then sold amongst the criminal fraternity.  After that the callers arrive. Roofers, tarmaccers, garden workers, double glazing etc. etc. etc.  You do not want to get on one of those lists.

THE SOLUTION – Everyone across the Thames Valley uses the same words – “I am sorry, I do not buy goods or services, at the door”.  Then firmly, but politely close the door and phone the police on the 101 non emergency number and explain that you have had ‘Nottingham Knockers’ at the door.  Be aware that some areas will not know them by this name, so you may have to explain that they are the young lads going door to door selling household products.  You will be asked for a full description of the lad, so be prepared and while you are at the door, have a good look and note the name on the ‘ID’, they will show you.  Don’t be fooled by any cardboard ID saying they are deaf, dumb or disabled in some way – they won’t be.  Do not engage in any conversation !  They will try and engage your sympathy, to get information out of you – “I tried the house 2 doors down, but there was no response”.  You might reply – Oh no, no-one is home, they are on holiday in the Carribean for the next three weeks”.  OR perhaps, Oh no, they are high fliers in the City and never get home before 9 p.m.”  We are all programmed to be helpful and courteous.  It is so much better, just close the door.  The police will always respond and carry out an Area Search, to look for the lads and check them out – hence the need for a good description.  Often they have a string of criminal convictions and are not the type of people you want looking up your hallway.

 

3.  Fake £20 notes.  We seem to have a very large number of fake £20 in circulation at the moment.  Some are quite obvious and look fake.  Please be on your guard and let us know if anyone tries to pass one to you – particularly if you are a business.  The usual MO is for someone to go into a shop and buy a small value item and produce a fake £20 to get as much real cash back as possible.  If you are handed one of these, they are not legal tender and you could be stuck with it !  Always examine any £20 you are given

4.  THE COMMUNITY WATCH SPEED GUN.  Some of you may well remember helping the police with our Home Office Initiative – ‘Safe as Houses’ some years ago.  We had an underspend, and since then I have been purchasing items with that money, I felt would help NHW and reward them, for their help.  I have been purchasing the purse bells, Window shock alarms, personal alarms which we recommend for sheds and back doors as well as for personal use, all of which we have been handing out to members of NHW - free of charge.  As many members reported a speeding problem in their area, I also purchased – on your behalf – a ‘Community Speedwatch’ hand held (hairdryer type) Speedgun, together with the necessary Volunteer Hi Viz jackets and warning road signs.  It was purchased to support you, please make use of this kit.  If you think your road, or a road nearby has become a rat run, or there is dangerous speeding, we can use this gun, to establish if there really is a problem and the PCSOs / Neighbourhood Teams and the RBWM Community Wardens have all been trained to use it.  They are all perfectly happy to come out and use it, with you there.  It cannot be used for formal enforcement, but it establishes if there is a problem, which would result in full enforcement.  If you join Community Speedwatch, you go out with a police officer / Community warden.  They or you use the hand held device and monitor the speed of cars going past.  It is simple to use – point and click - and very accurate.  The index numbers of any speeding cars are noted and the owner, receives a warning letter, reminding them that they were driving in a residential area above the recommended speed limit.  We are always looking for volunteers for ‘Community Speedwatch’.  You may not want to do it in your area, but you can help someone else, buy doing it in their area – reciprocity.  If you do have a problem road, please email your Neighbourhood Team using their group email address below, listing the road /s, the day it happens most and time the problem is at its worst and whether you would like to attend and assist the officer when he arrives.

 ALL COMMUNITY SPEEDWATCH SESSIONS, ARE UNDER THE DIRECT CONTROL OF A UNIFORMED TVP OFFICER, WHO IS ALWAYS IN ATTENDANCE.

 

5.   SHEDS AND GARAGES !!!

Shed breaks are beginning and increasing quickly !  We have had them right across RBWM.  PCSO Liz Davidson, will be carrying out some Crime Prevention Initiatives in the rural Neighbourhoods and the Walthams.  How many of us have been into our garden sheds in the past few weeks ?  The weather has not been conducive to gardening.  Over the next few weeks though, we will need our tools as roses and other items, will need pruning.  So, can everyone keep an eye out.  As we start to get our gardens into some sort of order after the winter, we will be considering purchasing new garden equipment and sheds will become a target – items will be stolen for sale at car boot sales etc.  If you have favourite tools – and we all do, think about property marking.  Buy a fine paintbrush and post code everything on the next fine day – not today obviously, as at this temperature paint won’t dry !  A nice contrasting bright garden colour in oil based paint.  It can be nicely done – copperplate script – artistic as you like, add some flowers if you want – if you have grandchildren, what an perfect opportunity for a lovely craft afternoon – and you will have the memory, every time you garden - and - the thieves won’t like it.  Postcode and house number – or if you have a house name, the first three letters – but not ‘The’ if you are The Vicarage !!!

 

CRIME:

 

I have attached some handouts, re shed breaks and heating oil thefts, which contain some good advice.

 

MAIDENHEAD CENTRAL:

maidenheadcentralnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk

Neighbourhood Page:

27/12 – 14/1  Flat, Longworth Drive.  Shed break – via hole in the roof – spirits and champagne stolen.

 

RIVERSIDE & BELMONT:

maidenheadcentralnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk

NO CRIME TO REPORT.

 

MAIDENHEAD WEST

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

maidenheadwestnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk

Neighbourhood Page:

15/1 – 16/1  Tuesday 11 p.m. / Wednesday 9 a.m.  Wellington Cottages, Warren Row.  Both wing mirrors stolen from a Ford Mondeo.

21/12 – 16/1  Mire lane, Waltham St Lawrence.  Repeat victim – last time heating oil stolen, but not reported.  Heating oil – 1,000 litres stolen again.  This time the pipes in the house froze, pipes burst causing extensive damage.  Again – it is that time of the year in our rural areas.  Keep an eye on heating oil and make sure any lids access points are secure – you would not want this to happen to you !  If you do have oil stolen, you must report it.  That way we can put together a pattern of offending and offences.

15/1  Tuesday 8.40 p.m  West End, Waltham St Lawrence.  House double glazed window damaged causing a star like cracking in the outer pane.

14/1 – 15/1  Monday 7 p.m. / Tuesday 8 a.m.  Pub / restaurant, Bisham Road, Bisham.  Car rear window smashed and satchel containing documents, stolen from the boot.

14/1  Monday 6.15 p.m. / 8 p.m.  Pub, Henly Road, Hurley X 2.  Car rear windscreen smashed – Laptops X 6, Rucksack and contents including documents, mobile, sunglasses, gloves AND KEYS STOLEN.  Car side window smashed – leather bag including documents and spare car keys stolen.

 

PINKNEYS GREEN & FURZE PLATT:

maidenheadwestnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk

15/1 – 16/1  Tuesday 11 p.m. / Wednesday 9.30 a.m.  Oaken Grove, Furze Platt.  Shed break2 window panels and a door lock were forced – 2 bikes moved and 3 stolen.

15/1 – 16/1  Tuesday / Wednesday Pinkney’s Drive, Pinkney’s Green.  Garage break – 2 garages broken into – tools moved but nothing stolen.  They may have been disturbed by the garage alarms sounding – you know it makes sense !!!

15/1  Tuesday 9.40 p.m. / 9.50 p.m.  St. Mark’s Crescent.  The owner heard noises in his back garden and turned on the exterior lighting.  He couldn’t see anyone, but there was damage to a rear outhouse and a garden fork against the wall.  No entry gained and nothing stolen.

13/1 – 15/1  Sunday 4 p.m. / Tuesday 7 a.m.  Belmont Park Avenue.  Car ENTERED BY UNKNOWN MEANS – Golf clubs and cash stolen.

11/1 – 14/1  First School, Oaken Grove, Furze Platt.  Attempt to force open 2 sheds.  No entry gained.

 

MAIDENHEAD SOUTH

BOYN HILL, COX GREEN & WOODLANDS PARK :

maidenheadsouthnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk

Neighbourhood Page:

16/1  Wednesday 12 noon.  Co-op, Cox Green Lane.  Someone entered the shop and purchased a scratch card using a fake £20 note !!!!  He confused the assistant to cover the action.

 

OLDFIELD & BRAY:

maidenheadsouthnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk

14/1  Monday 9.30 a.m.  12.50 p.m.  Priors Way, Holyport.  Burglary.  Property accessed via UNLOCKED SIDE GATE.  Garage door forced to obtain tools then rear patio window forced with 2 garden spades.  Untidy search – laptops x 2 and accessories stole n.


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