Friday the 28th of December 2012 – Thursday the 3rd of January 2013

In Your Area

I have to report that in the last week the following crime/crimes occurred in or near to your area.

Crime Reference WK/12/7859 – Between the hours of 16:00 on Friday the 28th of December and 14:00 on Saturday the 29th of December 2012 a ground floor flat in ALEXANDRA GARDENS, KNAPHILL was subject to a BURGLARY.

During this time the offender/offenders gained entry to the unoccupied property by forcing open a window. Once in the property the offender/offenders then managed to steal electrical equipment.

The majority of burglaries that are committed occur at the rear of properties. For this reason it is important to deter access into your back gardens. Gates should be closed and locked at all times when not in direct use. Deter the scaling of gates and fences by adding trellis to the tops of them.

Please make sure all doors and windows are closed and locked when not in direct use. Please don’t think that because you are only popping out for a moment that it won’t happen to you!

Consider the installation of an intruder alarm in your home. Any alarm installed should ideally conform to standard BS EN 50131 and should be fitted by a company that is NSI (National Security Inspectorate) or SSAIB (Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board) approved. Details of such companies can be found at http://www.nsi.org.uk or http://www.ssaib.co.uk

If you feel that you have witnessed any incident that may relate to the above crime/crimes please call 101 quoting the relevant crime number.

Can you please circulate the details of the crimes to the members of your watch if you think it will be of value. Remember that if you have elderly or vulnerable residents in your road this information may frighten them so be careful how you deliver this message.

Yours Sincerely

Mark Saunders

Crime Prevention Design Advisor

If you need to contact us in the meantime, you can reach us on

Email: 13180@surrey.pnn.police.uk
Tel: 101

	Dear   Please find below your weekly Neighbourhood Watch Crime Bulletin.   Friday the 14th of December 2012 – Thursday the 20th of December 2012   I am pleased to report that there are no notable acquisitive crimes to report within your watch area.   Neighbourhood Watch Up, Crime Down!   I am pleased to report that during 2012 the number of roads in the borough of Woking that are covered by an active Neighbourhood Watch scheme has increased by 6%. We now have 333 schemes across the Woking area.   Coincidentally I also am pleased to report that in the last year, 21/12/2011 – 20/12/2012, there were 12% less crimes reported in the borough compared to the previous year, 21/12/2010 – 20/12/2011.   Although a lot of this is down to the continuing hard work of officers and staff at Surrey Police, and all of the staff at our partner agencies, I also personally think it’s down to everyone involved in Neighbourhood Watch. By keeping an eye out for one another, by reporting suspicious incidents that you witness and by sharing crime prevention advice you really are making a difference and reducing the opportunities for crime to occur. Thank you for your continuing dedication.   I am now away from the office until the 2nd of January 2013 to enjoy some festive rest with the family. I am however already looking forward to working with you all again next year in an attempt to further reduce the level of crime in the borough.   On behalf of everyone at Surrey Police I would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and a very happy, and crime free, New Year.     Yours Sincerely   Mark Saunders Crime Prevention Design Advisor
		If you need to contact us in the meantime, you can reach us on Email: 13180@surrey.pnn.police.uk Tel: 101

Friday 13th of July 2012 – Thursday 19th of July 2012 – I have to report that in the last week the following crime/crimes occurred in or near to your area:

Crime Reference WK/12/4239 – Between the hours of 01:17 and 01:20 on Saturday the 14th of July 2012 a vehicle parked in ALEXANDRA GARDENS, KNAPHILL had items stolen out of it.

During this time the offender gained entry to the vehicle as it was left insecure and stole a number of items. Fortunately the incident was witnessed by a member of the public who called the police. A male has since been arrested and the stolen items recovered.

Please do not leave any valuables in your vehicle and always lock it, even if you are only leaving it unattended for a few minutes. It only takes a few seconds for an offender to seize an opportunity.

 

Crime Reference WK/12/4245 – Between the hours of 20:00 on Friday the

13th of July and 12:00 on Saturday the 14th of July 2012 a bicycle was stolen from outside the front of a property in BARTON CLOSE, KNAPHILL.

Consider securing bicycles with a Sold Secure approved D-Lock, visit http://www.soldsecure.com to find products that meet this approval. A record of their frame number should also be kept and registered onto a national property database, visit http://www.immobilise.com for further information.

 

Crime Reference WK/12/4287 – Between the hours of 14:00 on Saturday the 14th of July and 15:19 on Monday the 16th of July 2012 a vehicle parked in WEST HILL CLOSE, BROOKWOOD had its registration plates stolen.

Criminals will often steal vehicle registration plates to place on their own vehicles in order to carry out other criminal activities in an attempt to go undetected. Protect your registration plates by securing them to your vehicle with tamper proof screws and bolts. Visit http://www.safe-plates.co.uk for further information.

 

Crime Reference WK/12/4289 – Between the hours of 16:00 on Sunday the 15th of July and 08:20 on Monday the 16th of July 2012 a trailer was stolen from a property in BARRS LANE, KNAPHILL.

If you feel that you have witnessed any incident that may relate to the above crime/crimes please call 101 quoting the relevant crime number.

Can you please circulate the details of the crimes to the members of your watch if you think it will be of value. Remember that if you have elderly or vulnerable residents in your road this information may frighten them so be careful how you deliver this message.

Yours Sincerely

Mark Saunders

Crime Prevention Design Advisor

Woking Borough

If you need to contact us in the meantime, you can reach us on

Email: 13180@surrey.pnn.police.uk
Tel: 101

Knaphill armed robbery update A man who was arrested following an armed robbery at a bookmakers in Knaphill on Monday (17December), has been released on police bail. The robbery took place at Corals in High Street around 5-45pm. The 31-year-old man from Guildford was arrested in Tracious Close later the same evening. He was interviewed and released on police bail and is due to return to Woking police station on 27 March 2013. A second man involved in the robbery remains outstanding. A 28-year-old woman from Woking was arrested yesterday (18 December) on suspicion of assisting an offender following the incident. She has been released on police bail to return to Woking police station on 25 January 2013. Issued by Nicola Burress on 19/12/2012 12:14:42
		If you need to contact us in the meantime, you can reach us on Email: 13180@surrey.pnn.police.uk Tel: 101

Please find below your weekly Neighbourhood Watch Crime Bulletin.   Friday the 30th of November 2012 – Thursday the 6th of December 2012   In Your Area   I have to report that in the last week the following crime/crimes occurred in or near to your area.     Crime Reference WK/12/7345 – Between the hours of 15:20 and 15:38 on Monday the 3rd of November an insecure bicycle was stolen from HERMITAGE ROAD, KNAPHILL.   Consider securing bicycles with a Sold Secure approved D-Lock, visit www.soldsecure.com to find products that meet this approval. A record of their frame number should also be kept and registered onto a national property database, visit www.immobilise.com for further information.     Crime Reference WK/12/7388 – Between the hours of 15:45 and 17:50 on Thursday the 6th of December 2012 a property in GORSEWOOD ROAD, KNAPHILL was subject to a BURGLARY.   During this time the offender/offenders gained access to the unoccupied property via an open window. At the time of writing it is unclear what had been stolen   The majority of burglaries that are committed occur at the rear of properties. For this reason it is important to deter access into your back gardens. Gates should be closed and locked at all times when not in direct use. Deter the scaling of gates and fences by adding trellis to the tops of them. Please make sure all doors and windows are closed and locked when not in direct use. Please don’t think that because you are only popping out for a moment that it won’t happen to you! Consider the installation of an intruder alarm in your home. Any alarm installed should ideally conform to standard BS EN 50131 and should be fitted by a company that is NSI (National Security Inspectorate) or SSAIB (Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board) approved. Details of such companies can be found at www.nsi.org.uk or www.ssaib.co.uk     If you feel that you have witnessed any incident that may relate to the above crime/crimes please call 101 quoting the relevant crime number.   Can you please circulate the details of the crimes to the members of your watch if you think it will be of value. Remember that if you have elderly or vulnerable residents in your road this information may frighten them so be careful how you deliver this message.   Yours Sincerely   Mark Saunders Crime Prevention Design Advisor
		If you need to contact us in the meantime, you can reach us on Email: 13180@surrey.pnn.police.uk Tel: 101

This year’s anti-burglary initiative, Operation Candlelight, launched on Monday, 22 October and is well underway. Operational activities have targeted high risk neighbourhoods and known offenders; crime prevention postcards have been sent to ‘at risk’ properties to encourage residents to improve their home security while roadshows and bus back advertising have taken place across the county.

 

In the second phase of the operation, we are teaming up with Crimestoppers in a bid to urge residents to tell the charity what they know about possible burglars and the handling of stolen goods in return for cash rewards of up to £1,000.

 

Following the success of last years campaign which saw an increase in calls to the charity, Crimestoppers will use Facebook, advertising posters in buses across Surrey and a targeted ‘Know a burglar?’ leaflet drop to make as many people as possible aware of the rewards while pledging the anonymity that Crimestoppers offer.

 

Tim Prideaux JP, Chairman of Surrey Crimestoppers said: “We all want our homes and valuables to be as safe as possible so if you have any information about any burglary but don’t want to reveal your identity then please contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

 

Detective Superintendent Ray Blythe said: “Surrey Police is pleased to be working alongside Crimestoppers once again in our bid to reduce burglary activity. We know that some people don’t want to talk to the police and don’t want to give their name but do have information about burglars in their area. I would encourage anyone who knows about those involved in this distressing crime to tell someone – whether that be the police or Crimestoppers – to make sure we can bring these individuals to justice.”

If you need to contact us in the meantime, you can reach us on

Email: 13207@surrey.pnn.police.uk
Tel: 101

 

Mark Saunders

Today (Monday, 22 October) sees the launch of Operation Candlelight, an initiative focusing on reducing dwelling burglaries in Surrey.

‘Are you on a burglar’s to-do list?’ is the message from Surrey Police during the two-month initiative which aims to help householders get in the mind of a burglar and understand what they look out for prior to committing the crime.

We traditionally see a rise in burglary offences over the autumn and winter months with the longer, darker nights and increased spending over the Christmas period. By encouraging residents to see their property from a burglar’s point of view, we hope to influence a long-term behavioural change and reduce burglary offences. As part of the initiative, Surrey Police will also be carrying out additional operational activities targeting high risk areas and known offenders.

Detective Superintendent Ray Blythe said: “With the clocks going back this Sunday (28 October) there is no better time to start thinking about your own house and what you can do to ensure it is not on a burglar’s to-do list.

“Simple steps like taking a minute to put your car and house keys out of sight or putting stickers on your windows letting people know your property is marked could be all it takes to make an opportunist burglar decide it is not worth their while targeting your property.

“Being burgled can have a hugely detrimental effect on the victim and we will not tolerate this kind of offence in our communities. Working with the public to reduce offences is just one part of this campaign; we will also be targeting those who are known to offend in the county.”

You can dramatically reduce the chances of being burgled by taking just a few simple measures:

Never leave door or car keys, wallets or handbags within reach of a letterbox, door or window.
Make your house look occupied when nobody is home by using an automatic timer to switch interior lights on and off.
Set your burglar alarm whenever you leave your home. If you don’t have an alarm, we recommend you get one fitted.
Always close your windows when you are out, and ensure French windows and patio doors are secure.
Dispose of packaging carefully. Empty boxes left outside can advertise to thieves what they can find inside.
Going away? Cancel milk, newspaper and other regular deliveries and ask a friend or local Neighbourhood Watch scheme to keep an eye on your home.
Mark your valuables with a property marking product and place signs and stickers around your home, making it clear that your property is marked. Photograph your valuables and keep a description of them.
Always secure your shed and garage and don’t leave ladders or other tools outside which could help a burglar gain access to your house.

If you need to contact us in the meantime, you can reach us on

Email: 13180@surrey.pnn.police.uk
Tel: 101

Friday 28^th of September 2012 – Tuesday 9^th of October 2012

 

In Your Area

 

I have to report that in the last week the following crime/crimes occurred in or near to your area.

 

Crime Reference WK/12/6060 – Between the hours of 20:00 and 22:50 on Saturday the 6^th of October 2012 a property in WEST HILL CLOSE, BROOKWOOD was subject to a BURGLARY.

 

At the time of writing it is unclear how entry was gained to the property. Once in the offender/offenders then managed to steal cash.

 

Crime Reference WK/12/6061 – Between the hours of 15:30 and 23:00 on Saturday the 6^th of October 2012 a property in LARCHWOOD ROAD, KNAPHILL was subject to a BURGLARY.

 

During this period the offender/offenders have gained entry to the unoccupied property by forcing open a rear window. Once in they then managed to steal jewellery and a bank book.

 

Crime Reference WK/12/6073 – Between the hours of 16:00 on Saturday the 6^th of October and 11:00 on Sunday the 7^th of October 2012 a property in CONNAUGHT ROAD, BROOKWOOD was subject to a BURGLARY.

 

During this period the offender/offenders have gained entry to the unoccupied property by smashing the glass in a rear door. At the time of writing it is unclear what was stolen.

 

Crime Reference WK/12/6087 – Between the hours of 12:00 on Friday the 5^th of October and 08:30 on Monday the 8^th of October 2012 a property in HERMITAGE ROAD, KNAPHILL was subject to a BURGLARY.

 

During this period the offender/offenders have gained entry to the unoccupied property by smashing the glass in a rear patio door. Once in they then managed to search the property but it would appear that nothing was stolen.

 

 

The majority of burglaries that are committed occur at the rear of properties. For this reason it is important to deter access into your back gardens. Gates should be closed and locked at all times when not in direct use. Deter the scaling of gates and fences by adding trellis to the tops of them.

Make sure all tools are placed out of sight in a secure place so that they cannot be used by an offender to break into your home.

Please make sure all doors and windows are closed and locked when not in direct use. Please don’t think that because you are only popping out for a moment that it won’t happen to you!

Consider the installation of an intruder alarm in your home. Any alarm installed should ideally conform to standard BS EN 50131 and should be fitted by a company that is NSI (National Security Inspectorate) or SSAIB (Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board) approved. Details of such companies can be found at www.nsi.org.uk or www.ssaib.co.uk

 

 

Crime Reference WK/12/6074 – Between the hours of 12:30 and 12:35 on Sunday the 7^th of October 2012 a vehicle parked in WOKING CREMATORIUM, KNAPHILL was broken into.

 

During this time the offender/offenders gained entry to the vehicle by smashing a window. Once in they managed to steal a handbag containing cash, bank cards and personal items.

 

Please do not leave any valuables in your vehicle and always lock it, even if you are only leaving it unattended for a few minutes. It only takes a few seconds for an offender to seize an opportunity.

 

 

Crime Reference WK/12/6100 – Between Monday the 1st of October and Monday the 8^th of October 2012 a property in ALMA CLOSE, KNAPHILL was subject to an ATTEMPT NON DWELLING BURGLARY.

 

During this time the offender/offenders attempted to gain access to a garden shed. No entry was gained and nothing was stolen.

 

Crime Reference WK/12/6102 – Between Monday the 24^th of September and Monday the 8^th of October 2012 a property in ANCHOR HILL, KNAPHILL was subject to a NON DWELLING BURGLARY.

 

During this time the offender/offenders gained access to a garden shed and stole a mini motor and petrol powered model cars.

 

 

Outbuildings should be locked at all times. Large valuable items should be placed out of view and chained up to other items or a secure anchor point within the outbuilding. Items could also be property marked via engraving or painting your house number and postcode onto them. A record of their serial number should also be kept and registered onto a national property database, visit www.immobilise.com for further information.

 

Card cloning device prompts warning to cash point users

Crime Reference WK/12/5966 – Between the hours of 19:45 and 20:25 on Saturday the 29^th of September 2012 a device placed on a cash machine at Barclays Bank in Old Woking Road, West Byfleet, was used to steal a bank card.

 

During this time the victim went to use the machine but due to the device their bank card was not returned. They later checked with their bank to find that several hundred pounds had subsequently been withdrawn from their account.

Last year, police in Woking warned of a cash point scam involving the “Lebanese Loop” a system involving a piece of magnetic tape inserted into the slot which retains the card when the victim tries to use it. Similar scams may involve attaching a sticker to the ATM providing “instructions” for the unsuspecting cardholder, advising them to re-enter their PIN number should their card get stuck. Alternatively, a suspect could be standing behind in the queue advising them to re-enter the PIN number – obtaining the victim’s details.

There are steps you can take to prevent yourself from becoming a victim of card cloning:

• Check the machine to see if there is anything stuck to it or anything looks unusual about it. If there is, do not use the machine – report it to the police or bank immediately.
• Do not let anyone see you input your PIN. Use your free hand to cover the PIN pad to prevent anyone seeing your PIN as you key it in.
• If you are interrupted or distracted by anyone when using an ATM, cancel the transaction and try to recover the card.
• If the machine does not return your card, report it immediately to your card issuer.
• If you discover you have been the victim of card fraud, report it to your bank or building society straightaway.
• A number of initiatives are in place to counter card fraud, including siting ATMs in well-lit locations and installing CCTV cameras to deter fraudulent activity. The banking industry is also liasing with ATM suppliers to enhance technical solutions available for ATM owners to prevent cash machine fraud.

 

 

If you feel that you have witnessed any incident that may relate to the above crime/crimes please call 101 quoting the relevant crime number.

 

Can you please circulate the details of the crimes to the members of your watch if you think it will be of value. Remember that if you have elderly or vulnerable residents in your road this information may frighten them so be careful how you deliver this message.

 

Yours Sincerely

 

Mark Saunders

Crime Prevention Design Advisor

Woking Borough

 

Email: 13180@surrey.pnn.police.uk
Tel: 101

Police warn of scam involving UKASH vouchers

Also, please see update below this article

Police in Surrey are warning members of the public to be on their guard against a recent scam which is circulating throughout Guildford, Surrey Heath and Woking. Since April 2011 officers have received sixteen complaints about loan companies cold calling members of the public offering them loans.

As part of the scam, the victims are requested to purchase UKASH vouchers before the loan is authorised and the money put into the victims’ bank accounts. However, the loan never materialises but the UKASH vouchers are used by the loan company. In the cases that Surrey Police have been investigating, the amount of money handed over to the loan companies has ranged from £85 to £1,800.

DC Stuart Pittaway who is investigating these crimes said: “We want to raise awareness of this, and similar, scams to prevent anyone else being conned out of handing over large sums of money. The victims are usually contacted by phone and a variety of excuses are used to get the victims to part with more and more money. We have also been informed of similar scams where the victims have been told they are eligible for either PPI claim backs or tax refunds. No reputable company would require you to pay up front for these services, especially the tax office.”

UKASH is a legitimate company that lets you use cash to pay online by exchanging notes/coins for a voucher. Members of the public can hand over cash at any outlet that sells UKASH in exchange for a voucher. They can then use that voucher at any number of websites that accept UKASH. People use the vouchers as a way of controlling their spending as you can only use up to the value of your voucher. It is also a way of staying private when using your money online.

Giving UKASH vouchers to someone you don’t know or a merchant that is not approved by UKASH puts you at risk of losing your money. The best way to protect yourself from being a victim of fraud is to be aware of these scams and to treat your UKASH vouchers as cash. Transactions cannot be reversed so only give the voucher code to approved UKASH merchants.

 

11th Oct 2012 Kerry-Rose O’Donnell of INGMedia has been in touch on behalf of UKASH –

I wanted to get in touch on behalf of Ukash after the “Police warn of scam involving UKASH vouchers” article that was published on 4 October, 2012: https://knaphill.org/2012/10/ukash-vouchers-scam/#.

Firstly, I would like to thank you for clarifying Ukash as a legitimate company and outlining some of the key benefits of our e-payment system. At Ukash we are aware that scammers are targeting people to defraud their money and we are actively working with the authorities to close them down.

In this case, we would like to offer some additional advice to consumers:

• Anyone who believes they have been targeted should report it to the police and to action fraud UK in the first instance. If they realise that they have been scammed they can also contact us directly via customer services and we will attempt to block the voucher code before it is used: http://www.ukash.com/uk/en/support/contact-customer-services.aspx.
• We provide tips on our website http://www.ukash.com/uk/en/alerts/security-tips.aspx and post warnings of scams on our homepage and twitter feed @paywithukash as soon as we become aware of them.
  

Do let me know if you would like any more information or to speak with a representative of Ukash directly.

 

FROM THE SURREY POLICE –

Campaigns and operations kicking off this autumn A number of targeted campaigns are getting underway during the autumn, aimed at keeping the Surrey public safe, ensuring they have the confidence we’ll be there if they need us and relentless pursuit of criminals.

• Drive SMART – speeding campaign
The joint Surrey Police and Surrey County Council Drive SMART initiative will launch its autumn four-week long speeding campaign on Monday, 8 October.
While fatal road casualties have fallen over the last three years to 28 in 2011, serious injuries increased by 14% to 554 over that time. Data continues to show that speed is a significant contributory factor in road accidents; not necessarily through the exceeding of speed limits but through driving carelessly and not driving appropriately for the conditions.
The morning and evening peak traffic flows during autumn months – particularly in urban areas such as Guildford, Redhill and Epsom – attract most accidents, as do 30-mile an hour ‘A roads’.
The campaign will target young drivers between 16-24, who are most likely to be seriously injured, and older drivers between 40 and 49, who are most likely to be stopped for speeding. A mix of traditional media including bus backs, bill boards and radio, together with new media, including Flash video and social media, will be used to promote road safety, with the aim of reducing the numbers of killed or seriously injured on our roads.

• Domestic abuse awareness week
Surrey Domestic abuse awareness week, which starts on Monday, 15 October, is an annual awareness raising exercise that has been running in October for over a decade and is timed to reach residents in the build-up to Christmas. This is when domestic abuse traditionally increases as the pressures of family and money matters rise and an increase in alcohol consumption places additional strain on relationships.
Surrey Police is working on the campaign in partnership with Surrey County Council, Borough and District Councils, Domestic Abuse Outreach Services and other local domestic abuse providers. The focus of this year’s week is to encourage those close to a sufferer – be it a work colleague, neighbour, family member or close friend – to report domestic abuse.
The week will also aim to reach those who are experiencing domestic abuse themselves to raise awareness that it can be reported by contacting the police; the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously; or Domestic Abuse Outreach Services.
We will be promoting these messages via a series of roadshows, as well as advertising, including washroom stickers, promotional posters and credit card sized handouts.

• Honour based crime
A campaign to raise the awareness of honour based violence (HBV), forced marriage (FM) and female genital mutilation (FGM), which launched this month, aims to encourage victims of abuse to come forward and report their experiences; and to promote the Diversity Crimes Unit (DCU) that investigates honour based incidents.
Information has been posted on the Surrey Police website at http://www.surrey.police.uk/honour-based-crime. This includes contact details of the DCU and support organisations, videos on spotting the signs of forced marriage and a victim’s account of an honour based crime in Surrey. It is hoped that the campaign will encourage victims to contact the police so we can be there when they need us.

• Operation Candlelight – tackling burglary
Operation Candlelight, which tackles burglary, launches on Monday, 22 October and runs until Friday, 21 December. This is in response to the spike in dwelling burglaries seen during the autumn and winter months – likely to be caused by the longer, darker evenings which increase a burglar’s opportunity to offend.
Bus back advertising, direct mailing of burglary prevention cards to houses identified as being most at risk, roadshows and radio adverts are just some of the tactics being used to educate Surrey residents about dwelling burglaries and what they can to do to avoid becoming a victim of this distressing crime.
Overt and covert proactive police activity, targeting of known burglars and teaming up with Crimestoppers to appeal for information from members of the public who may know who is offending are also part of our strategy to relentlessly pursue criminals.

• Halloween and Bonfire Night
Our annual publicity campaign to help combat the risk of anti-social behaviour which traditionally increases during Halloween and Bonfire Night will start at the end of October. The four hotspot areas where most communications activity will be focussed are Stanwell, Farnham, Guildford town centre and Walton. Communications activity will include radio and newspaper advertising and we will be making more use of social media than in previous years.
There will be increased visible patrols across the county, and extra operational activity is being planned by the Neighbourhood policing teams.