Burglaries Wallingford & Benson

On Thursday 5^th December between 4.45pm and 5.15pm a property in Old London Road, Benson was burgled. Offender(s) have gained entry and stole laptops, hand held computers and jewellery.

On Thursday 5^th December between 3.30pm and 4.50pm a property in Blacklands Road, Benson was broken into. Offender(s) have forced entry to rear glass door and stole cash, jewellery and a tablet computer.

On Thursday 5^th December between 5.20pm and 5.40pm a property in High Street, Wallingford was broken into. Offender(s) have forced entry to a rear door by smashing the glass pane and stole two pouches of tobacco.

Between 11am and 12pm (4/12) two females aged between 18-20years called at an elderly person’s property in Wilding Road, Wallingford claiming they were there to clean the house. It is believed this was an attempted distraction burglary. No entry was gained.

Christmas Drink Drive

Thames Valley Police and Hampshire Constabulary Joint Roads Policing Unit launches its Christmas anti-drink and drug drive campaign on Sunday (1/12).

The two forces will be working in close partnership and conducting more cross-border operations than ever before with the aim of reducing the number of alcohol and drug related incidents on our roads.

Party-goers are being warned to think about the consequences before they consider having a drink and getting behind the wheel during the festive period.

The crackdown follows last year’s successful enforcement activity, which saw 6,585 drivers breathalysed by Thames Valley Police between 1 December 2012 and 1 January 2013.

The campaign is part of a national crackdown by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and the Department for Transport (DfT), aimed at reducing the number of people killed and injured on our roads by people who drink or take drugs and drive.

Impairment through drugs and/or alcohol is an important factor influencing both the risk of a road collision and the severity of the injuries that result from these collisions.

Across the Thames Valley, Hampshire, and the Isle of Wight, 68 people were killed or seriously injured last year (Jan-Dec 2012), where alcohol was a factor in the collision (61 seriously injured and 7 killed). In the first eight months of this year (Jan-Aug 2013), 38 people have been killed or seriously injured where alcohol was a factor in the collision (six killed and 32 seriously injured).

In addition, many people are not aware of the continuing effects of alcohol the morning after. In many cases, alcohol is still present in the body and will be identified during the breath test.

The overall aim of the campaign is to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured as a result of drink driving and to convince drivers that a conviction for drink/drug driving has the potential to ruin their life.

Thames Valley Police, Hampshire Constabulary and ACPO hope that understanding the consequences of their offending will deter people from being so irresponsible. A night in police cells sobering up with the possibility of being charged and going straight to court, followed by a lengthy ban, are the reality.

The campaign will also link with the European TISPOL police campaign during the second week of the campaign (9-15 Dec) where all police forces across Europe will tackle drink and drug driving concerns.

The Joint Roads Policing Unit will conduct road safety checks at all times of the day and night across the Thames Valley and Hampshire. Drivers will be asked to provide a specimen of breath in accordance with the Road Traffic Act 1988. Where there is no suspicion of alcohol, no moving traffic offences being committed, or no involvement in a collision, drivers will be offered the opportunity to participate in the campaign and provide a sample on a voluntary basis. We will explain the reasons for these checks to drivers and ask for the motoring public’s support.

Officers will also record additional information about those stopped, relating to what age bracket they fall into. This data will be provided to the DfT, who will analyse it to understand the level of drink-driving nationally and the correlation between age and drink-driving behaviour.

Ch Insp Henry Parsons, of Roads Policing for Thames Valley Police and Hampshire Constabulary, said: “We are asking the public to be safe rather than sorry. Collisions involving alcohol or drugs not only devastate the lives of victims and their families, they also ruin the lives of offenders, who could face a lengthy driving ban or imprisonment.

"As well as having to live with the lifelong guilt of having killed or injured someone through their reckless behaviour, offenders could also lose their job, home and their livelihood.

“If you are going out and know you will be drinking, organise alternative transport or a designated driver to ensure everyone is able to enjoy the festive period safely.”

Officers across the Thames Valley and Hampshire will be wearing purple ribbons in memory of those killed on our roads as a result of drink-driving. The purple ribbon is linked to the tragic death of Evey Staley in the Isle of Wight last August. Evey was just 10-years-old when she was killed by a drink and drug driver. Purple was Eveys favourite colour

Total number of breath tests in last year's Christmas campaign:

• Berkshire – 1,757
• Buckinghamshire – 1,142
• Milton Keynes - 1,169
• Oxfordshire – 2,517

Total – 6,585

Total number of arrests following positive breath tests during last year’s campaign:

• Berkshire – 113
• Buckinghamshire – 53
• Milton Keynes - 38
• Oxfordshire – 74

Total - 278

Local crime

Between 07.30am and 7.30pm on Monday 25th a burglary occoured to a property in Ipsden. Entry was gained at the rear of the house and jewellry taken.

Between 4pm on Tuesday 26^th and 8.15am on Wednesday 27^th November a vehicle was stolen in Brookmead Drive, Wallingford. Offender(s) have stolen a black BMW 320i M sport from the driveway without keys.
Overnight between Tuesday 26^th and Wednesday 27^th November offender(s) have stolen cash from a vehicle parked on a driveway in Fir Tree Avenue, Wallingford.
Between Tuesday 19^th and Monday 25^th November offender(s) have stolen approx 4,500litres of diesel from a static tank in a farm, Shillingford Hill Wallingford.

Carpet cleaning scam

There have been recent reports of a carpet company cold calling elderly and vulnerable residents in the Thames Valley area.
Since the beginning of November, Oxford Trading Standards have received 6 complaints from elderly residents who have been cold called by telephone by a carpet company who state they are in the area and offering to clean carpets for £19.99. Workers come and clean the carpet, but then issue a bill for anything between £300-700 and insist that this cost is paid. Please be aware of these cold calls and refuse the ‘service’ which they offer.
If you have received a phone call recently from a carpet company offering to clean your carpet for £19.99, or know of anyone who has (if possible check with any elderly neighbours) then please contact the Doorstep Crime Team at Oxfordshire Trading Standards on 0845 051 0845 (option 2), thank you.

Landrover thefts

There have been two recent thefts of Land Rover vehicles in the South Oxfordshire & Vale of White Horse area.

A blue Land Rover Defender was stolen from Oxford Road, East Hanney, near Wantage on Friday 8^th November, and a green Land Rover Discovery was stolen from a car park in Didcot, on Saturday 9^th November.

Thames Valley Police are advising Land Rover owners to be extra vigilant. The Crime Reduction Advisor, Alison Smith, has provided the following crime prevention advice and suggested preventative measures for your consideration:

Unless your Land Rover Defender is a “County” model it is unlikely to be fitted with an alarm or immobiliser. This makes it easy to steal without the keys.
Our advice is as follows:

• Don’t leave your Land Rover unattended away from your house/business for any length of time. Choose car parks which are well lit and where there is CCTV in evidence.
• Where possible park your vehicle overnight in your garage if you have one.
• Fit an alarm/immobiliser and a tracker if possible. The alarm may not be so effective in a remote location. The immobiliser should prevent them “hotwiring” the vehicle and the tracker will help locate the Defender if stolen.
• Block your Defender in with other parked cars at your house/business.
• Use the steering wheel lock and consider wheel clamps to slow the offender down.
• Make sure you don’t leave the keys in the vehicle or somewhere where a thief will easily find them, such as a hook on the wall, or a table in the hallway of your house (they will hook them out through the letterbox).
• Report any suspicious persons or incidents to The Police on 101 or 999 if it is a crime in progress.
• Consider CESAR marking your Land Rover

The standard starting price for the CESAR kit is £149 excluding VAT (£178.80 including VAT). Thames Valley Police are funding discounts to allow people living in Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire to have the system installed for £88 excluding VAT (£105.60 including VAT) To book please phone the CESAR booking line on 01784 778310 and quote Thames Valley Police discount.

Keep your home secure as the darker nights draw in

Winter officially begins on Sunday 27 October when the clocks go back an hour; this is the perfect reason to check your house is not vulnerable to opportunist thieves.
 
Thames Valley Police is working in partnership with Community Safety Partnerships across the Thames Valley to keep you safe as the darker nights draw in.

People across the Thames Valley can pick up security advice from the Thames Valley Police website; about the importance of not leaving your house in darkness, as well as via our social media sites.

Ch Supt Tim De Meyer, head of Neighbourhood Policing & Partnerships said: “People who work full time, and usually leave and return from work in the dark, are more likely to fall victim of opportunist burglars.
“It is vital that we engage with those at risk of burglary and this year we will be encouraging people to look at our Twitter sites and website for crime prevention information.

“Officers will be patrolling neighbourhoods and burglary hot spot areas identifying houses that could benefit from improved home security and posting a postcard size leaflet through the door advising people to contact them for further crime reduction advice.
“We will also be using businesses in the area to ensure our message gets out to their staff.”
If no light is on in your home, curtains are not drawn, and no car is in the drive, it’s an obvious sign to an opportunist burglar that no-one is in. At this time of the year more than any other it pays to secure your home.
 
There are a number of simple and low-cost or free ways to do this, all of which will help reduce the chance of your home becoming the next target.

• Visit a local retailer to pick up a 24 hour segment timer for under £5. The timer can be used with a lamp, radio or TV to give the impression that someone’s home. Remember to use an energy efficient light bulb
• Register your valuables on www.immobilise.com - its free and takes just a few minutes and if your valuables are stolen, will allow you to tell the police, your insurer, and the second-hand trade to assist in recovering your property and catch the thief
• Keep valuables out of sight
• Look your doors and windows, if you have a UPVC door make sure you have double locked it

You can also follow us on Twitter @_ThamesVP (opens new window) (localise this if there is one) alternatively you can give us a ‘like’ on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/thamesvp (opens new window)

Fraud Offences

Thames Valley Police is appealing for information regarding incidents of fraud in Oxfordshire.

During the following incidents, a man pretending to be a Metropolitan Police officer from Paddington Green police station has called victims to say their personal details have been obtained by criminals.

The offender then advises the victim to hang up and call their bank, but unknown to victims the offender does not disconnect the call meaning the victim continues to speak to the offender.
Believing they are speaking to their bank, the victims then provide their bank details to the suspect.
The caller then persuades the victims to put their bank cards in an envelope, which is collected by another offender.

The first offence occurred at an address in Henley during the day on Saturday (28/9).
The victim, an 89-year-old man, gave two bank cards to an Asian man, aged about 25, of large build, approximately 5ft 8ins tall, with black hair. He was wearing a high-visibility jacket and dark trousers.

The second incident also happened during the day on Saturday (28/9) at an address in central Oxford.
No bank details or bank cards were taken from the elderly victim.

The third incident occurred at about 10pm on Monday (30/9) at an address in Summertown, Oxford.
The victim, an 86-year-old woman, had two bank cards taken. Unsuccessful attempts were later made to withdraw money with the bank cards in central Oxford.

The offender is an Asian man, about 25-years-old, of slim build. He was wearing dark clothing.

These incidents are being linked to another offence in Hambleden area, Buckinghamshire, near Henley, on 15 September.

The victim, an 89-year-old woman, had jewellery and three bank cards stolen during the incident.
The bank cards were then used the same day in the Henley area (15/9).

The offender, who collected the bank cards and jewellery, was a white man, of slim build, about 5ft 8ins tall, in his mid-twenties, with short dark hair. He was dressed in a dark suit.

If you any other information about these offences please contact Sgt Phil Bennett via the Thames Valley Police Enquiry Centre on 101.

If you believe you have been a victim of a similar offence, please contact the police.
If you do receive a call which you suspect is not genuine and they ask you to call your bank, make sure that after you hang up, that you hear a dialling tone before contacting the police, or use a mobile phone if appropriate.

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 www.crimestoppers-uk.org. No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.

Harvest time thefts

1. Land Rover Thefts

A Green Land Rover Defender 110 TDI Reg: N489 BJO registered 1995 was stolen from a farm in Aylesbury on the night of 17th August after 5.30pm. A Green Land Rover Defender hard top was stolen from Britwell Salome, near Watlington on 15th August. There has been a noticeable rise in the thefts of Defenders with thieves targeting mostly older models in particular 1999-2005 models of 90 and 110 types.

2. Diesel Theft

Diesel has been stolen from a combine harvest left overnight in a field. It is a timely reminder for all of us to remain vigilant around harvest time.

Rural Crime

From the 2 July, Thames Valley Police will attend every rural crime reported under the new definition.

This means:

• Any reports previously dealt with over the phone by the Police Enquiry Centre, such as un-witnessed criminal damage or low value thefts, will now require an appointment with the caller or victim.
• Any reports previously dealt with by an appointment with the caller/victim will be attended under the urgent attendance policy (i.e. Police officers will aim to attend within one hour).
• Incidents which require an urgent or immediate response will continue to be dealt with in this way.
• Local neighbourhood officers will attend these reports in the first instance, unless it immediate attendance is required, then the nearest available resource will be deployed.

Ch Supt Tim De Meyer, Head of Neighbourhood Policing and Partnerships said: “This faster response reflects our determination to tackle rural crime and is part of a range of measures we are introducing to prevent, detect and reduce it.

“This definition will ensure that we focus on the crimes that target or affect the rural economy. Crime in these categories has gone down in recent years. But there is still more to be done.

“This faster response, followed up by thorough investigation, will of course increase our chances of finding evidence and catching the criminals responsible.”

Thames Valley Police define rural crime as any case where:

The offence occurred at a:

• Farm barn
• Farm shop
• Farm building
• Farm yard
• Farm house
• Farm field
• Fish farm

Or the property involved is:

• Agricultural machinery
• Agricultural tools
• Fencing
• Hay/ straw
• Heating oil and red diesel
• Horses
• Horse boxes
• Livestock

And the offence is:

• Burglary
• Robbery
• Theft
• Criminal damage
• Public health offences (fly tipping)

Hare coursing and poaching offences are including under the definition.

The new definition sets out criteria to allow them to better deal with the crimes targeting or affecting the agricultural rural economy most.

The definition will help to focus their efforts on the crimes of most concern and by being able to identify these crimes early on officers will respond to them faster and deal with them better.

Rave Warning

Thames Valley Police are advising all landowners, farmers and country watch members to remain vigilant this weekend.

With the warm weather upon us there is a higher risk that a Rave could take place in our area. If these illegal events are set up they can run for the duration of the weekend which could cause disruption and inconvenience to local residents and landowners.

If you see any large gatherings, an increased build up of traffic or hear any disturbances during the night in rural areas, please call the police on the 24 hour non- emergency telephone number 101 as soon as possible.

Music in the Barn is OK ...............

Council Tax scam

Residents are being warned to be on their guard against bogus officials offering council tax refunds or threatening them with fines.

There have been several incidents reported recently across Oxfordshire, including in South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse.

The fraudsters operate by ringing, texting or visiting residents claiming to be from the local council, valuation office or some other company which deals with changes to council tax banding. They suggest that you are either due a council tax refund, or owe more council tax and must pay it promptly to avoid a fine. They will then ask for personal information and bank details to process the refund or payment or they may ask for a fee to secure a refund or band reduction for you.

If you receive one of these calls, texts or visits, do not give out any personal information, end the call as quickly as possible and do not give any money to anyone who visits your home. The fraudsters can get aggressive and ring back if you put the phone down but this is all part of the scam to make you act as they want.

South Oxfordshire District Council would ever call residents directly to demand bank details in this manner. Where it is believed that someone either owes or is owed money they will be invited to contact the council themselves to arrange payment. You will never have to pay a fee to have your council tax band reduced. It costs nothing to make an appeal against the band your home is in.

If there is any change to the amount you have to pay you will receive a bill through the post explaining the situation.

If you are in any doubt as to the authenticity of a call concerning your council tax account please call 0345 302 2313 (South Oxfordshire residents)

To report a suspected incident of the scam, residents can contact Oxfordshire County Council Trading Standards on 0845 0510845.

Message from police commander

The 2012/13 performance assessment is now available and I am extremely pleased that once again this police area has achieved outstanding success. We have continued to reduce crime whilst enhancing our crime detection rate. All crime has been reduced by 9.8% and 27.9% of all crime reported has been detected. We were the second best performing Local Police Area in Thames Valley delivering;

· A 15.6% reduction in Violent Crime

· A 0.3% reduction in Dwelling Burglary

· A 27.5% detection rate in Dwelling Burglary

· A 30.3% detection rate in Serious Sexual Offences

· A 47.4% detection rate in Violence against the Person with Injury

These figures should be viewed in the context of our continuing reduction of crime over the last ten years which can be seen below;

2003/4	2004/5	2005/6	2006/7	2007/8	2008/9	2009/10	2010/11	2011/12	2012/13
14740	15675	14635	15017	14220	13475	12351	12076	10178	9159

Over the last ten years we have reduced crime by 38%, this is a tremendous achievement. This is a district that can rightly take pride in being one of the safest places to live in the country. Indeed;

· Overall Crime is at its lowest level in over 15 years

· Burglary Dwelling is at its lowest level in over 15 years

· Personal Robbery is at its lowest level in over 15 years

· Theft from Vehicle is at its lowest level in over 15 years

· Total Violence against the Person is at its lowest level since 2001/2002

One of the crimes that we have particularly focussed on during this period has been dwelling burglary. This is a pernicious crime that can have a devastating impact on those in the community whose homes are invaded and where often irreplaceable items are stolen. We have reduced these offences by 57.3%.

2003/4	2004/5	2005/6	2006/7	2007/8	2008/9	2009/10	2010/11	2011/12	2012/13
844	806	659	635	514	536	580	527	361	360

These figures represent 5,581 less victims of crime and almost 500 less victims of burglary a year. This level of performance doesn’t just happen, it is delivered by committed, professional Police Officers and Police Staff who care about their local communities. I genuinely believe that we have made South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse a better place for local communities.

We are determined to support victims of crime and vulnerable members of our communities, and will continue to do this through a number of programmes, such as Op Vera, our support network for elderly victims of crime. There is a huge amount we are doing together to enhance the lives of those within our districts that we can be rightly proud of achieving.

We have challenged offenders in a way they have never experienced before and we continue to robustly pursue these individuals on a daily basis. We make it clear that we will not tolerate criminal behaviour and together with our partners ensure individuals recognise criminality is not an easy option, we instead encourage them to accept one of the many positive intervention options available to them to discourage offending behaviour.

We have enjoyed considerable success, and whilst it is only right to reflect and recognise our achievements it is also time to look forward and consider what we need to do this coming year and build on these achievements.

This year we will continue to work to reduce burglary, violent crime and rural crime offences. It will be a challenge to further reduce burglary and violent crime although I am confident the strides we have made locally to manage offenders and our weekend night time economy give us a tremendous opportunity to do this.

We are extremely conscious that an increasing number of criminals are targeting rural communities, preying on isolated and vulnerable areas and targeting these individuals. This is a priority for us this year. Already we have increased the number of resources patrolling rural areas and had some notable successes in arresting travelling criminals who mistakenly believed they could come here and commit crime with impunity.

If we are to further reduce crime we recognise that we will increasingly need the help of the public and we will therefore be looking to develop our Neighbourhood Watch Schemes across the district. These schemes are a crucial element of our crime prevention network, often providing the eyes and ears that prevent crime happening whilst generating information to help us identify and prosecute offenders. We would welcome the opportunity to further discuss developing Neighbourhood Watch Schemes within your community. If you would like to discuss this please do let me know and I will arrange for a member of your Neighbourhood Team to make contact with you.

As I regularly point out we have not reduced crime on our own. I am extremely grateful to the continuing help and support from both South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse District Councils, the Community Safety Partnership, the volunteers who support us through the Special Constabulary, Neighbourhood watch and the Neighbourhood Action Groups and, of course, the local communities of South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse.

Thank you to all of 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.

Best Wishes

Andy Boyd

Superintendent

South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse LPA