Email scam

Police are aware that an email entitled 'Population Census: a message to everyone - act now' is being circulated, allegedly in the name of National Statistician, Jil Matheson. This email demands individuals provide further personal information, supposedly for the Census and threatens fines for non-compliance.

This email is a scam and a hoax. It has no connection whatsoever with the National Statistician, the 2011 Census or the Office for National Statistics.

They believe the links in the email could download malware to any computer where the user clicks on the links. This could put your personal data, including financial information, at risk.

Anyone receiving this, or similar emails, should delete them, not open any links and certainly not provide any information.

For more information on how to protect yourself from this type of threat, please see www.getsafeonline.org

If you wish to, please report receipt of any such suspicious emails to www.actionfraud.org.uk

ONS takes the protection of personal census information extremely seriously. Collection of census data was completed last year and no further requests will be forthcoming from the Office for National Statistics relating to the 2011 Census.

Dogs in the village

I’ve been in the village now for over six months and have spoken too many of you. One of the biggest concerns people have is over dogs. Out of control dogs to be exact.

I walk my two Staffordshire Bull Terriers at least twice a day using both roads and footpath/bridal ways, I’m sure you have seen me. If you have you will notice they are both on leads and under my full control. The only time they are off the lead is when at home, in my garden or individually when away from built up areas. If I see someone approaching, with or without a dog they go straight back on the lead. Now that’s not because of the breed of dogs they are it’s because I am a responsible owner. There are people within the village who, in my opinion do not fall into the same category.

·         My wife and I were walking our dogs, both on leads, along The Street when a large Labrador type dog came charging out of an adjacent field. It ran straight at my dogs barking and snarling. Lucky I was there and I got between my dogs and the approaching aggressive dog grabbing it before it could attack them. It had neither lead nor any collar, its owner appeared, made no apology for his dog and just walked past as if nothing was happening. I kept hold of the struggling dog until it was safe to release it.

·         Again walking both my dogs I entered the Meer close to the playground only to be confronted by a loose Springer Spaniel. It made toward me so I walked the opposite way. A few moments later I continued up the Meer as the dog had disappeared. When I got to the top I could see the same dog by the War Memorial, it again came towards me. I turned right and followed the fence into the wooded area. It was then I was aware of who I assume was the owner near the church using a whistle to get the dog to return, which it didn’t. In any event the church to the playground is some 500 yds and out of line of site.

That’s just two incidents that I can think of that has happened to me and I don’t consider the owners of the dogs to have been in proper control of their animals. There are many more including persons being bitten, knocked over and dog against dog attacks. There are people who will not walk their dogs in certain parts of the village because of this.

We all live in a rural community and there are a lot of dog owners, nobody is saying you shouldn’t have a dog but what is required is for a dog owner to be responsible for the actions of their dog.

Landowners join Police to tackle rural crime

On the evening of the 18 January, police officers and landowners joined forces to tackle rural crime.

Approximately 70 officers dedicated to the operation and 35 landowners, farmers and gamekeepers spread out over South Oxfordshire, the Vale of White Horse and West Berkshire overnight.

The landowners acted as spotters, calling in any suspicious activity to a designated operator who then deployed police officers who remained static close by. The aim was to detect and prevent crime as well as to gather intelligence on the people who are frequenting rural areas and committing these crimes. The crimes of concern range from theft of livestock, metal and diesel thefts to criminal damage on farm land, hare coursing and poaching.

Throughout the operation a male was arrested in West Berkshire, approximately 30 stop and searches were carried out and one vehicle seized in Chievely.

On Thursday 19^th January, three males were seen by police with a lurcher dog seen chasing rabbits in a field in Longworth, Abingdon. The males were arrested for Hunting Offences and bailed until 11^th March 2012.

Overnight between 24^th and 25^th January, a local Game Keeper reported poachers in a field in Sparsholt Firs, Wantage. Following a two hour search police located a vehicle and stayed with it until three male suspects with dogs appeared. The males admitted hunting rabbits on land where they did not have permission to do so. All three were reported for the offence of hunting wild mammals with dogs.

Two more vehicles to look out for

A tipper truck V227RBW with a white cab and brick red body, with three males in front and scrap in the back and drove around a farmyard at South Moreton at 12:40 p.m., 17 January. It did not stop but had a good look around and drove out again. Note: the above vehicle is registered as a white Ford Transit Luton van.

Two males in (possibly a white Ford Pickup V312 DTY) pulled up in Hambleden on 16 January and asked workmen if they had any scrap. They became quite aggressive before driving off. This vehicle has been involved in a previous incident and is believed to be on the police watch list.

Thefts from Vehicles

The thefts from vehicles seem to have started up again

Overnight 9^th – 10^th January, Van Diemans Close, Chinnor, Thame

9^th January – Steventon Road, Drayton, Abingdon

7^th January – Dragon Hill Road, Woolstone, Faringdon

8^th January – Childrey, Wantage

They appear to smash the rear windscreen and steal anything they can find.

Rogue Roofers

Thames Valley Police and Trading Standards are warning residents in the Wallingford area to be extra vigilant following reports received over the New Year of rogue traders working in the Ewelme and Wallingford areas.

Unknown traders are offering to carry out work on roofs, including the removal of moss. Work has already been carried out on one property and they are asking anyone living in the area to report any suspected rogue traders to the police on the new national single non-emergency telephone number 101.

Please try to obtain vehicle details, including make/model and registration number and description of any occupants.

Please keep a look out for any elderly vulnerable neighbours and advise them not to deal with any cold callers, thank you.