PHONE SCAM:
22/3 - 4/4 Maidenhead. The aggrieved is an elderly resident, who received a phone call in early March, from a man saying he was from the police. He explained that he was investigating a member of staff at her bank for fraud. He would like her help to gather evidence, against him and possible accomplices, at the branch. He needed her bank account details, so that he could protect her money from the fraud. She handed this over, as well as all the details of her bank cards, with PIN numbers. The Fraudster, then used this detail, to make online purchases to the value of £775. He then made various Bank Transfers out of her account to other accounts, of over £17,000. He did this with her consent, to protect the money from the Fraudsters in the branch. The phone calls persisted for several weeks. Finally - he asked her to collect packages, of items he had purchased online. When she went to collect them, she was refused. That was when she became suspicious and spoke to her bank ,who immediately confirmed it was a scam and put a stop on all her cards and are currently, trying to trace the bank transfers. She was very lucky that they immediately, refunded the money spent on the online purchases.
We have had several of these types of cases and the Royal Borough over the last few months and we are obvioulsy being targeted for this offence. Please spread the word !
A ROMANCE SCAM:
We had a call from a local bank, to say one of their customers was transferring money to Africa and they had concerns that the aggrieved, was the victim of a scam. The victim was involved in an online romance, with a young man in Russia. The young man was apparently bitten by a dog, the wound went septic and he needed a very expensive operation, but had no money. The aggrieved was in the process of organising a large loan from a loan shark in Nigeria, to have money sent to Russia. The bank became suspicious and phoned us.
Can everyone please be aware that this happens all the time, but it rarely comes to our attention unless someone calls us. If you are part of a day centre, lunch club, carers’ group spread the word. We all need listen and be aware of any changes in behaviour in club members, to protect elderly and vulnerable people.
NEXT: An Update re the 101 number and the PEC - (the Police Enquiry Centre), there have been some changes recently. They are no longer called PECs, but are now Contact Management Centres. The 101 number is still the same.
We have 1,200 members of staff, in the five centres across Hampshire and the Thames Valley. The centres are based in Abingdon, Kidlington, Milton Keynes and Netley.
The CMCs, answered around 290,000 calls to the 999 number and 785,000 calls, to the 101 number That equates to an emergency call every 1.8 minutes and a non-emergency call, every 40 seconds !!!
NEXT - ‘Victim Support’ is now gone and replaced with Victims First !
The first new hub has now been launched on the 26th March and has started to provide support for victims, witnesses and victim’s family members, across the Thames Valley.
The hub is managed by the Police & Crime Commissioner Anthony Stansfeld and is staffed by civilian Victim’s First officers.
Victims First Officers, contact victims, to establish their emotional and practical needs and to put in place, a support plan.
They will also provide emotional welfare, of both witnesses and victims’ family members, where support is required and consent given. You can access Victims First directly via the phone, or their website:
0300 1234 148
www.victims-first.org.uk The Victims First Hub has been in development for two years and we are all delighted, to see its launch.
NEXT we have had a spate of Graffiti in Windsor - but my advice is useful for everyone.
Graffiti - we have just had a rash of graffiti right across Central Windsor with the tag ‘FORK’. One of our NHW Co-ordinators walked through an underpass, where two young lads were acting suspiciously and there was the smell, of recently sprayed paint. He stopped and challenged them - which was not well received. One of the lads phoned his mum, who drove up fairly quickly. She reacted aggressively. Our NHW member explained he was not accusing them of anything, but simply asking, if they had seen anything. The response was not good and the mother and the two boys drove off at speed. He did manage to photograph them on his phone, whilst he reported the incident to us on the 101 number. Can I re-iterate - if you feel you want to take photographs, please be extremely discrete and do not - put yourself at risk.
AND THERE IS MORE:
We had a garage break in Ascot where a bike was stolen - again the advice is useful for everyone:
3/4 Tuesday Woodlands Ride, Ascot. Garage break. CCTV shows a young lad walking around the rear garden, to the wooden double garage doors. Even though the garage was locked, he managed to open the doors easily, causing no damage. He removed a mountain bike and parked it nearby, returning with a large ‘bag for life’, to remove other items which included - biscuits - Jammy Dodgers, cookies, chocolate bars and some alcohol. The bike was a black, Merida Big 7, mountain bike - WITH THE FRAME NUMBER. We recover ‘found’ bikes all the time and have sometimes over 200 ,in the rear yard that are never reported missing, or collected. If you report a bike stolen, we enter the details into the police computer. We then check every bike we recover against that database. We almost never, have a frame number, to positively identify a bike, to return it to the rightful owner. When I report a stolen bike in a message, I always give a full description - if we have one. Generally, you will see ‘A blue mountain bike’- no make model or frame number.
Often, the owners can barely remember the colour ! If you have a bike…… can you please stand it up against a wall and photograph it, using your mobile phone and then email the picture to yourself ? That way, we get make, model, colour - sometimes two colours - and any distinguishing features. Then use your mobile phone, to reach down and photograph the space under and between the pedals, where the frame number is stamped into the metal. It would help, if you turned the bike over, to do this
We really want to return bikes to their owners, as it is very inconvenient for us to store them. Please help us to help you
Our last batch went to auction very recently and the money received, is paid into the Police Property Act Fund, which is distributed each year to deserving charities, by the PCC - the Police and Crime Commissioner. This is what is there today from the last week- some really nice bikes - and a mini motorbike !
MAIDENHEAD CENTRAL:
maidenheadcentralnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.ukPickpockets have been in the Town Centre, over the last few days. An elderly victim had her handbag stolen, while she was shopping. Others had purses stolen from their bags. Please think about what bag you are taking, when going shopping. Many women now use the large fashionable tote / beach style bags, which do not have zips across the top. They also wear them tight under their arms, with the open topped bag, protruding behind them - making it even easier, to remove purses and other valuables. Bags should always be zipped, worn across the body, with a long shoulder strap, underneath coats. What is more important unsafe fashion - or your credit cards
3/4 1.45 p.m. / 2 p.m. Tennis Facility Car Park. Bike locked in a bike rack stolen. A black & yellow, Carrera, mountain bike.
RIVERSIDE & BELMONT:
NO CRIME TO REPORT
MAIDENHEAD WEST
maidenheadwestnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.ukBISHAM, COOKHAM, HURLEY, THE WALTHAMS, LITTLEWICK GREEN & KNOWL HILL:
NO CRIME TO REPORT
PINKNEYS GREEN & FURZE PLATT:
NO CRIME TO REPORT
MAIDENHEAD SOUTH
maidenheadsouthnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.ukBOYN HILL, COX GREEN & WOODLANDS PARK:
2/4 Monday 5.40 p.m. Business Vanwell Business Park. Police were called to a break-in by the alarm company. The found the main reception area windows smashed - a manhole cover had been thrown through them. The offenders climbed in and made an untidy search the ground and first floor offices. They smashed a window upstairs to access the fire escape to get out of the building as the alarm was sounding. Not yet known if anything stolen.
2/4 - 3/4 Monday 7 p.m. / Tuesday Cumbria Close. Van break driver’s door forced - SAT NAV stolen.
OLDFIELD & BRAY:
NO CRIME TO REPORT
