Some Good News !
Detective Inspector Will Crowther, the head of our Investigation Command (Local CID now called the I Hub), has let me know that his team has just had a real success. He has asked me to circulate that a man was arrested and charged yesterday with two burglary non dwellings in Maidenhead, which took place at Mulberry Day Nursery, 9 Boyn Hill Avenue on 23rd May 2018 and Maidenhead Lawn Tennis Club on 22nd June 2018. The offender is currently at Reading Magistrates Court, awaiting sentencing.
A lot goes on behind the scenes, by police officers in departments which are not ‘front facing’ and directly interacting with the public - the ‘bobbies on the beat’. Not all our police officers, are out there on the beat. We have many departments dealing with specific issues such as domestic Abuse, Local and Force CID - I am asking the heads of those departments, to do me an outline the services they supply for you, to publicise in Alerts. Watch this space
Greetings from the Maidenhead Central Neighbourhood Team.
We are very much looking forward, to being part of the Maidenhead Festival Celebrations on the 21st and 22nd July 2018. We will be on hand to discuss anything from crime prevention, to careers in the Police or joining our fantastic Cadets group.
We continue to work closely with the Borough Council around the complex issues involving our street dwellers/drinkers. As I am sure you are aware, each individual, has their own specific needs and we have to work with them individually, rather than as a ‘group’ to resolve this issue.
There has been a recent increase in theft from motor vehicles. Please may I take this opportunity to remind you all to ensure you follow the advice below when leaving your car unattended:-
“DISPLAY AND YOU WILL PAY”
Trust locks, not luck – double check your vehicle is locked and secure
Keep Keys Safe – and out of sight
Perfect Parking – if you have a garage use it or try to park in a well-lit and/or monitored location.
Display and you’ll pay – don’t tempt thieves – take your belongings with you.
Be alarmed – this could deter thieves
Sat Nat – would you be lost without it? Remove it and make sure you wipe the sucker marks off the windscreen.
Your number’s up – number plates can be easily removed, secure them with security screws and contact Police if stolen.
Please remember that any breaks to your vehicle may cause your insurance premium to rise.
Sergeant Emma Pendry
Maidenhead Central Engagement / Geographic Sergeant
4/7 Wednesday 10.45 p.m. / 12.40 p.m. High Street. The aggrieved was shopping when a man came up and asked her about some socks. While talking to him, she felt a nudge to her trolly. She turned around and saw a man picking something up from the floor. When she got home she found an envelope in her handbag containing her cards and cash - ALONG WITH HER PIN NUMBER - were missing.£100 was removed from her account within a few minutes and then 2 further attempts in Slough after the cards had been cancelled. Please be aware - we have dippers in both Town centres - and - PIN NUMBERS MUST NEVER BE WRITTEN DOWN AND KEPT WITH YOUR CARDS !!!
4/7 Wednesday 5.25 p.m. Vicarage Road. An aggrieved left his wallet in a shop and shortly afterwards went back to get it. The shop owner didn’t have it, but when the checked CCTV it sowed the wallet was picked up by a woman who then left the shop !
5/7 - 6/7 Thursday 7 p.m. / Friday 6.45 a.m. Kestrel Court, Heron Way. Black, Honda 125 index LG ** UTX stolen from outside a house.
RIVERSIDE & BELMONT:
4/7 Wednesday 8.30 a.m. / 2 p.m. Florence Avenue. Car keyed.
MAIDENHEAD WEST
maidenheadwestnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.ukBISHAM, COOKHAM, HURLEY, THE WALTHAMS, LITTLEWICK GREEN & KNOWL HILL:
NO CRIME TO REPORT.
PINKNEYS GREEN & FURZE PLATT:
5/7 Thursday 5.40 p.m. / 6/10 p.m. Cranbrook Drive. House window smashed.
MAIDENHEAD SOUTH
maidenheadsouthnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.ukBOYN HILL, COX GREEN & WOODLANDS PARK:
6/7 Friday 2.20 a.m. Bissley Drive. The aggrieved’s son, heard a noise outside and looked outside. He saw a man searching their car on the driveway. He shouted and the man immediately made off. The man is described as white, 30 / 40 years old slim, fairly tall, wearing gloves and a stripy hoody.
OLDFIELD & BRAY:
4/7 Wednesday 0.06 Stroud farm Cottages. 30 bales of hay caught on fire and were put out by Berks Fire & Rescue. No suspicious circumstances.
MEMBERS’ COMMENTS:
FIRST RELATING TO STOLEN POST FROM POSTBOXES ON GATED HOUSES:
Hi
I live with my family in Sunningdale. I read with great interest your article dated 28th June, regarding someone monitoring and emptying letterboxes using a key on Station Road in Sunningdale. And potentially with some CCTV footage of the culprit.
Since 2013, we have been exposed by Identity theft. Most probably, someone has emptied our letterbox and used our utility bills etc. managed to open MORE THAN 10 Accounts in our names, over the last five years. We have taken some precautionary measures to avoid this, by adding a pass code to a credit providers etc. I also receive alerts, as soon as a financial institution, bank etc. carries out a credit report on me or my address.
Recently it's become a bit worse. We are a foreign family, and have lived here since 2001. Recently, the my Government decided that they don't renew driving licenses to people living abroad, so I had to apply for a British driving license (no testing etc. required, only paperwork). I contacted DVLA and they insisted that I had to send my original passport, a copy would not be sufficient and that they would need it for at least three weeks, before they could send it back. This was a problem, as I travel a lot at work.
I waited until I could find a slot, where I could be without my passport for three weeks, and I sent in my application in to them late May. I sent my application by Special Delivery, Recorded Letter. Even though I included all necessary forms, passport, cheque etc, they also wanted my foreign driving license. As a result, they sent back everything back (Application, Passport, cheque etc), in a second-class letter. I didn't find this out, until more than a week after they sent it. I didn't therefore check and empty it immediately every day, after the postman delivered the mail (at around 11 am).
We live in a gated house, with a locked letterbox on a pillar outside the gate.
It has now been more than 4 weeks, since they say they sent back my passport, and I have blocked it at my Embassy, I have also reported it stolen with the police. I am now writing to the DVLA asking what I do next. If they ask me to re-apply and send my passport in original again, I will not be best pleased.
As of today, I don't have any valid photo ID at all, I cannot drive my car, and I cannot travel abroad etc..
Based on the above and your article from yesterday I have two comments/questions:
How can DVLA return an original passport by not recorded / registered second-class post ? We receive a lot of messages about being careful with identity etc.. When you call the DVLA and are waiting to get through, they play recorded messages, on how important it is to be careful and that they would never send emails or messages, asking for bank details etc.. Now here they are, sending everything you would need to steel someone else's identity, including cheques, in a second-class letter.
Could we let the police know that there seems to be some footage available to identify a "thief" in the area ?
If you want to share my story, please do so as it may help others in the area.
Thanks in advance
Best regards
Jan
Jan’s experience may not be unique. Can everyone be on their guard, and check with banks or utilities if they are sending documentation that could be used to copy your identity, open bank accounts or take out loans.
I have just been on holiday in Egypt and Jordan. In both cases I needed Visas. I could obtain these by post. My passport had to be sent by registered delivery to each embassy, with a registered self-addressed envelope – it cost a fortune !
Outside post boxes are now a draw to opportunist offenders in Ascot. Apparently from CCTV footage, they wait up the road until the postman has made his delivery. They then go and remove the post before the home owner is aware it has been delivered - it is often a slightly different time every day depending upon the delivery. The keys to most post boxes are the same, or are easily available. It may be you have to arrange for post to be kept at the post office and collected, just to prevent this happening again.
NEXT:
Hi
I wanted to make you aware of an incident that has happened to me recently in North Ascot.
In April, I installed a solar powered outside light by my front door. Very compact and discrete. It wasn't expensive and was easily installed by slotting on to two screens in the wall.
Some time during May, it was stolen. I live in a cul de sac and my front door is on the side of the house, so I believe it was someone who came to the front door. Eventually, I decided to replace it and installed a second light, on Saturday 30th June.
When I watered the pots on Sunday evening, it was still there. By the time I came home on Monday 2nd July, it was gone.
Coincidentally, I had a delivery left on my doorstep that day so it may have something to do with a delivery driver ? I am currently in the process of a formal complaint with the delivery company, who are investigating.
Please feel free to share in your alerts if you feel it could help someone else.
I've ordered a CCTV warning sticker off a well known website for 99p ! It may deter future opportunists.
Judith
Did anyone see anything or has something similar happened to you ?
NEXT:
Hi
This morning, we received a very unpleasant threatening phone call, with a recorded message from purportedly the Customs and Excise.
It threatened dire legal consequences, if we or our solicitor, did not phone a hotline number 01392 581097 - immediately.
By the end of the message, I felt quite shaken up, because of the style of language used. After a few moments thought, I realised it must be a scam, but felt you needed to know, as vulnerable residents might be very frightened by it.
Many thanks
Pam
I am really grateful to Pam for letting us all know about these calls. If she has received one, there will be many other who have also received them who may have been intimidated into dialling the number.
ANY CALLS LIKE THIS - JUST PUT THE RECEIVER DOWN.
IF THE INLAND REVENUE WISH TO CONTACT YOU URGENTLY, THEY WILL ALSO DO IT, BY LETTER.
