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.