Crime: 6 February 2013

I have just received a phone call from an RBWM Community Warden to say Datchet has been flooded with leaflets from someone offering to buy old gold jewellery.  Please do not fall for this.  Some scams operate when you show them your gold and they offer you a ridiculous price – but they have seen what you have got in the house – Please remember our Motto – WE DO NOT BUY OR SELL GOODS AND SERVICES AT THE DOOR.  If someone does call, please remember to phone it through to us on the 101 number.

MAIDENHEAD CENTRAL:

maidenheadcentralnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk

Neighbourhood Page:

NO CRIME TO REPORT.

RIVERSIDE & BELMONT:

maidenheadcentralnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk

5/2  Tuesday 3.45 p.m.  Ellington Park.  A witness saw a young person smash the window and run off.  The lad was school age, wearing a school uniform.

4/2 – 5/2 Monday 11.30 p.m. / Tuesday 6.45 a.m.  Cordwallis Road.  Shed break via rear window – 3 sets of car keys stolen along with a silver VW Golf GTI index RE 62 DWZ from the driveway.

4/2  Monday 11 a.m. / 5.30 p.m.  Belmont Crescent.  Burglary.  Rear kitchen Windsor forced – 3 other windows damaged – ground floor searched – nothing appears to have been taken.

MAIDENHEAD WEST

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

maidenheadwestnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk

Neighbourhood Page:

2/2 – 4/2  Saturday 6 p.m. / Monday 5.45 a.m.  Farm, Long Lane.  This crime has not been mapped in the police computers and I assume as it is a farm it is in our rural beats ?  Theft of diesel caps have been tampered with

PINKNEYS GREEN & FURZE PLATT:

maidenheadwestnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk

NO CRIME TO REPORT.

MAIDENHEAD SOUTH

BOYN HILL, COX GREEN & WOODLANDS PARK:

maidenheadsouthnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk

Neighbourhood Page:

4/2  Monday 7.30 a.m. / 4.30 p.m.  South Road.  Burglary via forced rear door – Tidy search – Wii, IPAD, laptop and kick boxing equipment stolen.  I have attached the leaflet re Tracker software !!!!

OLDFIELD & BRAY:

maidenheadsouthnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk

21/1 – 4/2  Courtlands.  Attempt to break into various lock ups.  Repeat victim.

5/2  Tuesday 7.15 p.m. / 9.35 p.m.  Upper Bray Road, Bray.  Car rear windscreen smashed – LAPTOP and documents stolen.

4/2  Monday 7 p.m. / 9 p.m.  Restaurant, Windsor Road.  Car rear windscreen smashed – Mobile chargers X 2, LAPTOP and laptop bag and accessories stolen.

2/2 – 4/2  Saturday 10 a.m. / Monday 9 a.m.  Bucklebury Close, Holyport.  Garage break – Chain saw, leaf blower and a scarifier stolen.

MEMBERS COMMENTS:

Hello Jeff,

I rather enjoy your updates. There has been a spate of muggings / armed robberies in Englefield Green. Thought you may wish to make those aware that might visit the area.

Thanks

Jonathan

Our advice as always re handbags is wear them diagonally across your body – UNDER your coat.  Separate out your valuables, so that if your bag is stolen, you don’t lose everything.  For men, thieves are aware that we keep our wallets in a back trouser / inside jacket pocket !  Again try and separate out some essentials in case of pickpockets which are active in all our town centres.

NEXT:

Hi Jeff

Re the first hint under Members’ Comments in today’s Crime Update.  If you keep the phone “off hook” and put it aside when receiving an unwanted call, it will NOT prevent the caller from clearing his line at any time and making further calls to other numbers.  The caller, is always in charge of any calls he originates.  However, the action will prevent the “victim” receiving further calls (from anyone) until he puts the phone back on hook. The phone company may put a siren on line to remind him to do so – not sure if this still happens, but it might be unwelcome in the small hours of the morning !

Regards,

Colin

Hi Jeff,
re Nicks International calls.
I have B.T's CALLER DISPLAY on my landline phone, so when anyone calls, their number is displayed on the phone.
When a 'WITHELD or INTERNATIONAL' call rings, this is displayed on the phone too, so we do not answer them.
You need a phone that is compatible, and there is a charge from B.T.
Like Nick, we have been plagued with these calls.

Eddie

I do remember, when this issue raised its head last year, someone out there had recently purchased a very cheap handset, from a very well known high street hardware chain store.  It displayed all numbers and had an additional facility.  It had a key to press, which would bar any calls from that number in future !!!  It may still be available.

NEXT FROM THE LIONS:

Thirty local organizations will be coming together to show what they are doing for the local community at the Volunteering Day to be held in Nicholson’s Shopping Centre, opposite W H Smith’s, on Saturday 9^th February and inviting considerate people to join one of their many varied ways of working in the local community.  It is being organized by the Lions.

If you have ever thought that you would like to play a part in the community come along to the Volunteering Day which will open from10.00 am to 4.00 pm where you will see the opportunities available to you.

A poster is attached.

RE THE WINDOWS SCAM CALLS:

Jeff,

With reference to the Windows scam phone calls, I found that the caller knew my Sky account details, the router IP and my login name so I wondered if they had purchased these records as many companies do sell our details.

Needless to say I am no longer with Sky having cancelled the account 4 years ago. Surprising I still get calls about my Sky account that I do not have.

Kind Regards

Hazel

Does anyone out there know the answer to this ???

NEXT – CAR LOCK JAMMERS !  STILL OUT THERE AND POSSIBLY SPREADING.

Jeff

I thought it was worth bringing this to your attention.

On Sunday night we had both of our cars broken into. Nothing had been left on display.  The cars were locked and on a driveway. No alarms went off. We found both cars unlocked.  The thieves had ransacked the insides to find any valuables.  One car had not been used for more than 24 hours.

On the same night a fellow Old Windsor resident experienced the same and reported it to the police. She found her boot open, despite locking it the night before. During this week I've discovered another car that has suffered the same fate, however the owner did not want to report it, because they couldn't understand how it had happened.  Today I've been informed of another car broken into at Virginia Water.

On Friday, another local resident had problems operating her key fob to lock her car; it had been fine, just minutes earlier.

I don't have an answer to how this is happening, BUT it would definitely appear that someone has some type of cloning device to unlock a car and disable the alarm. I don't think from our experience it was from someone nearby 'copying the frequency signal' from nearby as both of our cars had been used at different times.

Please make people aware that despite not knowing the solution to stopping people doing this (whatever it is they are doing!), DO NOT leave valuables in the car even in a drawer or hidden from site. Its not worth the risk when cars are being broken into so easily. We have two vigilant dogs and neither of them heard anything either. An unsolved mystery I'm afraid.

I have since called 101 to make sure they are picking up on this trend.

Best Wishes

Sharon

Many thanks Sharon.  This is happening and I have mentioned it many times over the past few years.  There is no device or gadget to copy / clone the signal from your car fob.  There is no need for one.  The car manufacturers are correct when they say that your fob generates a new set of random numbers every time it is used and they cannot be copied.  The problem is much simpler.  Your car only recognises the correct set of numbers.  If the car receives a different signal / numbers it does not recognise – from another key fob for example – it does nothing.  We would not want our cars unlocked, every time someone opened their car in a car park !  This is the flaw in the system.  All the fob frequencies are the same, it is only the numbers that are different.  All garage up and over doors / electronic doorbells etc. Use that same frequency.  If anyone locks their car at the same moment you lock yours, the cars will receive a signal containing both sets of numbers – and – will do nothing.  The signal from a key fob is omni directional – you don’t have to point and click.  You can even extend the range, by touching the key to your head and clicking – no idea why !  The longest range is achieved by up and over garage door fobs.  Someone can be standing round the corner from your road as you drive in and depress the fob, for say five minutes.  Throughout that time, your fob will not lock – or – open your car.  You may get out, press the fob over your shoulder and go indoors.  Though you believe you have locked your car, you haven’t !  The thieves then walk along a road, trying car door handles to see if they have scored.  Whenever you lock / leave your car, you must make sure it is in fact locked.

Community Safety encourages residents to get the ‘love bug’ for Love Your Community Week

The Royal Borough’s community safety partnership is encouraging residents to get the ‘love bug’ and support a variety of activities during the borough’s third annual Love Your Community Week which runs from Monday 18 to Saturday 23 February.

Following the official launch at Dedworth Library on Monday 18 February at 2pm community wardens, police and members of housing associations and residents’ associations will be out and about in the borough with various events, including:

·       hosting crime reduction and information stands, love your community board and face painting and crafts for young people, Dedworth Library, Smiths Lane, Windsor

·       carrying out a clean-up at Woodlands Park, Maidenhead

·       holding a community speedwatch in Old Windsor.

Cllr Carwyn Cox, cabinet member with responsibility for Community Safety, said: “This is the third annual Love Your Community Week and I am sure it will grab residents’ attention. The last two years were successful and we hope to build on this and encourage communities to cherish their locality.

“The week is not a one-off – we work tirelessly throughout the year with our partners to deal robustly with issues that matter to residents and ensure that incidents of crime and anti-social behaviour reduce. The borough has a zero-tolerance policy towards litter and graffiti and our community wardens will fine anyone committing anti-social behaviour including littering and dog fouling.

“I would urge anyone living in the borough to support their local event to learn more about the work that community safety does. I hope to come along to some of the events and look forward to seeing as many of you there as possible.”

RBWM

Last Orders serves up good advice for teenagers

Pupils at three Royal Borough secondary schools, Furze Platt Senior, Windsor Girls’ and The Windsor Boys’, will learn about the dangers of underage binge drinking, through the medium of theatre, in a thought-provoking play called ‘Last Orders’ during February.

Performed by the Solomon Theatre Company and aimed at Year 9 pupils, ‘Last Orders’ highlights the challenges encountered by some teenagers, who find themselves dealing with pressure from friends, and their first experiences of alcohol.

Following the performance there’s a workshop exploring the themes of Anti - Social Behaviour, illegal purchase (including law on alcohol and age-restricted products), attitude to risk and sexual health (including unplanned pregnancy and STIs).

Cllr David Coppinger, cabinet member with responsibility for the Drug and Alcohol Action Team (DAAT), said: “We successfully piloted the programme last year and feedback from teachers and the young people, was very positive.  It is an important part of our ongoing campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of alcohol abuse.

“It complements the other work by the DAAT, to educate and minimise the potential harm from alcohol, to young people.

“The performance, is written in an accessible, hard-hitting style that immediately captures the young people’s attention and imagination.”

Cllr Phill Bicknell, cabinet member for children’s services, said: “I am glad we are able to provide young people with information about how alcohol can change their behaviours and perceptions in a non-threatening, non-blaming and thought-provoking environment.”

Richard Cardigan, assistant head, student welfare, The Windsor Boys’ School, said: “Following the feedback from last year we are very happy to welcome back the Solomon Theatre Company as we believe it is essential for our Year 9 boys to have the opportunity to explore the issues surrounding alcohol and to consider the significant risks involved.

“They are of an age where both alcohol and sexual relationships are likely to feature in their lives in the near future and we are confident that the Last Orders performance and subsequent workshops will equip them to make informed choices, minimise risks and deal with peer pressure. We look forward to welcoming the theatre company to The Windsor Boys’ School.”

The performances and workshops complement the work already carried out with young people, such as Alcohol Awareness Week and the Three Strikes programme.

RBWM