28 January 2012

Police appeal for sightings of missing Byfleet woman

SURREY Police is appealing for the public’s help in finding a 26-year-old woman missing since yesterday.

Amanda Hickey was last seen leaving her home in Byfleet on the afternoon of Friday 27 January but has not been heard from since.

Officers are growing increasingly concerned for Amanda’s welfare and are asking anyone who knows where she is or who may have seen her to contact Surrey Police as a matter of urgency.

Amanda is described as white, of slim build, with brown shoulder length hair which was tied in a pony tail. She was last seen wearing a pink smock top and brown/grey trousers with a blue and brown scarf tied around the waist, a brown checked coat and glasses.

Officers are carrying out enquiries to try and locate Amanda and anyone with information which could assist is asked to call Surrey Police on 101 quoting reference P12026779.

Call 101 for all non-emergency policing matters.

Call 999 if you have a genuine emergency requiring the attendance of the police (eg a crime is in progress or someone is in immediate danger).

Call independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 if you have information about crime and don’t want to leave your name.

Ends                                                                                                                              SB/12

For more information call the Surrey Police Communications Office (Media) on 01483 632000 or email: fast-timecommunications@surrey.pnn.police.uk . For up-to-date news see our website at www.surrey.police.uk

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Friday 20^th of January 2012 – Thursday 26^th of January 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/12/441 – Between the hours of 08:00 and 19:00 on Saturday the 21^st of January 2012 a vehicle parked in SWALLOW RISE, KNAPHILL 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 www.safe-plates.co.uk for further information.

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

Investigation launched following distraction thefts in Woking and Surrey Heath

Surrey Police has launched an investigation following a number of distraction thefts in Woking and Surrey Heath over the last two weeks.

The most recent incident took place at Lynch Estate Agents in Woking High Street between 11-15 am and midday on Friday (January 20), when two women speaking broken English asked sales staff for details of properties which were on the market. During the conversation the women waved a piece of paper in the agent’s face to distract him, giving them the opportunity to take a computerised personal organiser from his desk. The younger woman has then taken a phone call before they both left the office.

The first suspect is of Asian appearance, in her mid 40s to 50s, 5 ft 4 tall, with dark-coloured hair and wearing a black and white checked head covering and dark clothing. The second suspect is also of Asian appearance, in her 20s, 5ft 4 to 5 ft 6 tall, with dark hair which was in a bun. She was wearing a black fitted bomber jacket and was carrying a phone with a pink cover.

A similar incident took place at Alan Greenwood and Sons Funeral Director in The Parade, Frimley, at 1-45pm on January 18. A man came in asking about arranging a funeral before picking up a £500 i Phone from the desk and running out of the shop. He is described as being of Asian appearance, in his early 20s, 5 ft 7 tall, with short dark hair and was wearing a black top or coat, brown trousers and black plimsolls.

Police are also investigating an incident at Accessorize in The Peacocks Centre in Woking around 5pm on January 13 when one man distracted a member of staff at the till while another man made off with her £400 i Phone.

Officers are also investigating an incident at Leaders Estate Agent in Chertsey Road, Woking, just before 1pm on January 10. A man and a woman went to the office and distracted staff using leaflets and begging for money before making off with a £700 i Phone. The man was described as around 20 years with short dark hair and wearing blue jeans and a tracksuit top, while the woman was described as 20-30 years, of Indian or Eastern European appearance with long dark hair in a ponytail and was wearing a silk scarf and silk skirt with trousers underneath.

Police are also investigating links with a burglary at a house in Princess Gardens in Maybury on Sunday (January 22), when a woman knocked on the back door and asked to use the toilet. After she left, the elderly occupant realised that £40 cash had been taken from the pocket of a pair of trousers he had left in the bathroom. The woman is described as white, 20-30 years old, of a slim build and was wearing a woolly hat.

West Surrey Detective Inspector Andy Haslam said: “We are carrying out a number of enquiries to try and establish the offenders responsible for these thefts. In the meantime, we would ask staff and shop owners to remain vigilant and not to leave their personal possessions on display.”

If you have any information regarding any of these incidents, please contact Surrey Police on 101, quoting crime reference number WK/12/404. Alternatively, if you prefer to remains anonymous, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Actions taken on your neighbourhood priorities

Anti-social driving
Over the past month Surrey Police has continued to tackle ongoing issues around the anti-social use of motor vehicles in the area.
The focus of this includes car parks to where large groups of youths appear to congregate late at night in order to socialise. This has proven to be an issue for those residents who live nearby to the car parks and as a result Surrey Police has received a large number of complaints about the level of noise that attributes these gatherings.

Of note, the following car parks have received a significant number of complaints from residents in the Knaphill, Brookwood area:
– The Vyne/Alexandra Gardens off Redding Way, Knaphill
– Sainsburys car park off Redding Way, Brookwood
– Brookwood Train Station car park

In recent weeks the local team has handed out warning letters to those suspected of causing a persistent level of alarm distress and annoyance to residents. This has notably made some impact to the number of calls that we have been receiving and also with the number of youths seen to gather in the car parks also decreasing in number.
Brookwood Train station off Connaught Road has recently become an issue with the same type of offence. British Transport Police has also been informed of this as the car park for the station comes under their authority.

Residents are again advised to report any form of anti-social driving including speeding, revving engines or playing loud music to Surrey Police, making sure to note as much information as is safe to do so such as vehicle index, make and model.

With the help of the council, car parks are being looked at for their lighting and use of cameras in order to assist in deterring people from gathering in them late at night and causing noise disturbances.

Operation Smart
On 23 November, 2011 the local team carried out an Operation Drive Smart day, whereby road users in the locality of Knaphill and Brookwood were educated at the roadside for any traffic offence witnessed. The operation was a complete success with up to 20 road users given a warning for offences of excess speed. Two road users incurred fixed penalty notices for offences including using a mobile phone whilst driving and excess speed which includes a fine and points.