We have received reports recently of some people posing as planning or building control officers to gain access to people's properties under the pretence they're looking into enforcement issues etc. When challenged, they’ve said they were from “planning” and left immediately.
Planning officers can often turn up to a site unannounced, especially planning enforcement officers. However, they will always have photo ID on them, and are always happy to be asked for it and to explain the reason for their visit. Their identity can also be verified by calling the planning office on01491 823740 or by contacting the Customer Service Manager Duncan Grainge on 01491 823711or email: duncan.grainge@southandvale.gov.uk
We would like to ask residents to be extra vigilant about this kind of activity and to ask for ID from anyone who visits unannounced from any organisation. Please report suspicious activity to the Police via the 24 hour non-emergency telephone number 101 or call 999 for crime in progress.
Wednesday, 20 August 2014
Tuesday, 12 August 2014
Bucking the trend
NFU Mutual’s rural crime survey for 2013 has shown that rural crime is down by 19 per cent across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire collectively.
Thames Valley Police is one of the few forces across the Country to have seen a decrease with national figures showing a 5.2 per cent increase in rural crime.
Last year Thames Valley Police made concentrated efforts to tackle rural crime by conducting intensive operations to tackle criminals who target the rural economy, improve security in the rural areas and gain the trust and confidence of the farming communities.
Officers learnt more about how the farming community work and now understand the impact rural crime has on business and livelihoods. The policing activities and new skills implemented throughout the last year are now business as usual for the whole Force and Thames Valley Police will continue to drive crime down further.
NFU Mutual’s Top 10 UK counties by estimated cost of rural crime in 2013:
Cambridgeshire (£2.7m)
Lincolnshire (£2.3m)
Essex (£2.1m)
Kent (£1.8m)
Lancashire (£1.8m)
Suffolk (£1.5m)
North Yorkshire (£1.5m)
Leicestershire (£1.3m)
Co. Antrim (£1.2m)
Somerset (£1.2m)
In Thames Valley, Berkshire Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire showed a combined loss in 2013 of £1.7m
Thames Valley Police is one of the few forces across the Country to have seen a decrease with national figures showing a 5.2 per cent increase in rural crime.
Last year Thames Valley Police made concentrated efforts to tackle rural crime by conducting intensive operations to tackle criminals who target the rural economy, improve security in the rural areas and gain the trust and confidence of the farming communities.
Officers learnt more about how the farming community work and now understand the impact rural crime has on business and livelihoods. The policing activities and new skills implemented throughout the last year are now business as usual for the whole Force and Thames Valley Police will continue to drive crime down further.
NFU Mutual’s Top 10 UK counties by estimated cost of rural crime in 2013:
Cambridgeshire (£2.7m)
Lincolnshire (£2.3m)
Essex (£2.1m)
Kent (£1.8m)
Lancashire (£1.8m)
Suffolk (£1.5m)
North Yorkshire (£1.5m)
Leicestershire (£1.3m)
Co. Antrim (£1.2m)
Somerset (£1.2m)
In Thames Valley, Berkshire Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire showed a combined loss in 2013 of £1.7m
Tuesday, 13 May 2014
Door to door salesmen
I just had a white male, 30's light brown hair wearing a red jacket knock on my door trying to sell cleaning products.
He had a laminated I.D.
He started off saying he had been a bad boy in the past but now.......
I stopped him there.
The I.D. If you look is a simple message anyone could write and print off, it's not an official I.D.
The one I showed him was, a police I.D. I then pointed out the sticker on my door saying I don't buy or sell at the door. He walked off mumbling under his breath.
If you get a visit today or in the future don't enter into a conversation with them, tell them you don't want anything and close the door. They are trying to con you.
He had a laminated I.D.
He started off saying he had been a bad boy in the past but now.......
I stopped him there.
The I.D. If you look is a simple message anyone could write and print off, it's not an official I.D.
The one I showed him was, a police I.D. I then pointed out the sticker on my door saying I don't buy or sell at the door. He walked off mumbling under his breath.
If you get a visit today or in the future don't enter into a conversation with them, tell them you don't want anything and close the door. They are trying to con you.
Wednesday, 7 May 2014
White van man
I have received reports of an Asian male driving around the area attempting to sell fish or meat door to door. He's driving a small white van with "DCSolutions" possibly written on the side. He was last seen in the Forest Row area but has been seen in various other places too.
He will knock on doors and ask the occupier to come to the van to look at his goods for sale.
My advice is don't
Tell him politely no thanks and close the door.
He may well have what he claims to be fresh produce in the van and that's what he will show you. What you get is not what you've seen, it's normally rotten, basically it's a con.
It's not a new one it's been happening for years all over the country. Originally they came from the Grimsby / Hull area but now everyone is trying their luck.
Never buy anything from someone calling door to door. Only buy from a known supplier and then only if it's been pre arranged.
It's now the time of year we all try to get our gardens back up to scratch using the various gardening tools and equipment available. Don't leave it on show, make sure it's marked with your postcode in permanent ink, and lock it away after use.
If you don't chances are someone in a white van will help themselves to it.
He will knock on doors and ask the occupier to come to the van to look at his goods for sale.
My advice is don't
Tell him politely no thanks and close the door.
He may well have what he claims to be fresh produce in the van and that's what he will show you. What you get is not what you've seen, it's normally rotten, basically it's a con.
It's not a new one it's been happening for years all over the country. Originally they came from the Grimsby / Hull area but now everyone is trying their luck.
Never buy anything from someone calling door to door. Only buy from a known supplier and then only if it's been pre arranged.
It's now the time of year we all try to get our gardens back up to scratch using the various gardening tools and equipment available. Don't leave it on show, make sure it's marked with your postcode in permanent ink, and lock it away after use.
If you don't chances are someone in a white van will help themselves to it.
Wednesday, 9 April 2014
Thames Valley Police released our crime figures for 13/14
There have been a number of positive results for the South
Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse.
Within the last financial year we were the second best performing Local Police Area in Thames Valley delivering:
LPA Area Commander Supt Andy Boyd said:
“Once again I am really pleased to inform you that during the last twelve months we have been able to reduce crime whilst increasing the number of offenders we have brought to justice. During the last year we have reduced crime by 0.2%. Whilst this is a modest decrease, it should be viewed in the context of our success in reducing crime by over 38% in the last ten years. There were, last year, over a 1000 less victims of crime than there were two years ago.
“Whilst we are extremely proud of these achievements we do not under estimate the challenges of maintaining these levels of performance and we are committed to striving to further reduce crime.
“Contrary to what some sections of the media would have you believe, within South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse the overwhelming majority of the public have a great deal of trust and confidence in the Police. It is this relationship with the public which has enabled us to deliver sustained reductions in crime; we cannot detect crime without the support of the public. We rely on the public to tell us when they are victims of crime, to tell us when they see something suspicious and to give evidence at court in order for us to bring offenders to justice. It is our role to keep the public safe, we recognise our unique relationship with the public in which we are reliant on their trust in order to fulfil our duties, we will endeavour this year to enhance and build on this relationship.
“We will over the next year continue to develop our Neighbourhood Watch Schemes and community messaging across South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse. These schemes enable us to further develop our relationship with local communities enabling us to let them know what is happening and how they can help us keep them safe and protect their property. If you would like to discuss how we can enhance the schemes in your local area please do let me know and I will arrange for a member of our neighbourhood team to contact you.
“As I regularly point out we have not reduced crime on our own and I am extremely grateful for the continuing help and support from both South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils, the Community Safety Partnership and all those volunteers who support us through the Special Constabulary, Neighbourhood Watch and the Neighbourhood Action Groups.
“Thank you for your support this year, it has been very much appreciated and I look forward to continuing to work with you over the coming year”.
Within the last financial year we were the second best performing Local Police Area in Thames Valley delivering:
- 5.6% reduction in Dwelling Burglary.
- 37.4% detection rate in Dwelling Burglary.
- 37.0% detection rate in Rape.
- 61.3% detection rate in Violence against the Person with Injury.
- 6% reduction in Violence against the Person with Injury.
LPA Area Commander Supt Andy Boyd said:
“Once again I am really pleased to inform you that during the last twelve months we have been able to reduce crime whilst increasing the number of offenders we have brought to justice. During the last year we have reduced crime by 0.2%. Whilst this is a modest decrease, it should be viewed in the context of our success in reducing crime by over 38% in the last ten years. There were, last year, over a 1000 less victims of crime than there were two years ago.
“Whilst we are extremely proud of these achievements we do not under estimate the challenges of maintaining these levels of performance and we are committed to striving to further reduce crime.
“Contrary to what some sections of the media would have you believe, within South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse the overwhelming majority of the public have a great deal of trust and confidence in the Police. It is this relationship with the public which has enabled us to deliver sustained reductions in crime; we cannot detect crime without the support of the public. We rely on the public to tell us when they are victims of crime, to tell us when they see something suspicious and to give evidence at court in order for us to bring offenders to justice. It is our role to keep the public safe, we recognise our unique relationship with the public in which we are reliant on their trust in order to fulfil our duties, we will endeavour this year to enhance and build on this relationship.
“We will over the next year continue to develop our Neighbourhood Watch Schemes and community messaging across South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse. These schemes enable us to further develop our relationship with local communities enabling us to let them know what is happening and how they can help us keep them safe and protect their property. If you would like to discuss how we can enhance the schemes in your local area please do let me know and I will arrange for a member of our neighbourhood team to contact you.
“As I regularly point out we have not reduced crime on our own and I am extremely grateful for the continuing help and support from both South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils, the Community Safety Partnership and all those volunteers who support us through the Special Constabulary, Neighbourhood Watch and the Neighbourhood Action Groups.
“Thank you for your support this year, it has been very much appreciated and I look forward to continuing to work with you over the coming year”.
Thursday, 3 April 2014
Incident at McDonalds Benson
Thames Valley Police is appealing
for information after a robbery at a McDonald’s restaurant in Benson in the
early hours of Tuesday morning (1/4).
Officers were called to the restaurant in Oxford Road, B4009, shortly before 12.30am after reports that a man had entered and brandished a bat at staff and demanded money from the safe.
The man has then made all members of staff enter a back office, where money was then handed over before he fled the scene.
The man is described as 6ft, and was wearing dark coloured clothing and had his face covered.
PC Jon Morley said: “I am keen to speak to anyone who may have been travelling through this area and seen something, or anyone that has any information about this incident.”
If you have any details which could help investigating officers, please call the 24-hour Thames Valley Police enquiry centre on 101.
If you don’t want to speak directly to the police you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at Crimestoppers-uk.org .
Officers were called to the restaurant in Oxford Road, B4009, shortly before 12.30am after reports that a man had entered and brandished a bat at staff and demanded money from the safe.
The man has then made all members of staff enter a back office, where money was then handed over before he fled the scene.
The man is described as 6ft, and was wearing dark coloured clothing and had his face covered.
PC Jon Morley said: “I am keen to speak to anyone who may have been travelling through this area and seen something, or anyone that has any information about this incident.”
If you have any details which could help investigating officers, please call the 24-hour Thames Valley Police enquiry centre on 101.
If you don’t want to speak directly to the police you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at Crimestoppers-uk.org .
Tuesday, 25 February 2014
Nearby burglaries
On Saturday (22/2), between 3.30pm and 6.15pm, a
property in Park View, Crowmarsh Gifford, was burgled. Entry was gained via a
rear patio door. A computer was stolen.
Between Friday (21/2), and Sunday (23/2), a property in Wantage Road, Wallingford, was burgled. Offender(s) gained entry via a garage door. Property stolen included electrical items and jewellery.
If you have seen any suspicious looking people or vehicles in the area or have any information relating to this message please call the police on 101.
Between Friday (21/2), and Sunday (23/2), a property in Wantage Road, Wallingford, was burgled. Offender(s) gained entry via a garage door. Property stolen included electrical items and jewellery.
If you have seen any suspicious looking people or vehicles in the area or have any information relating to this message please call the police on 101.
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