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Buying & Selling on Social Media / Online Platforms. (Market Places)
We are seeing an increase in burglaries from garages and sheds where the offenders are clearly seeking out motorcycles, specifically dirt bikes such as KTM & Yamaha. It appears that a number of these bikes have been listed for sale on social media platforms, where a potential buyer arranges to view the vehicle but then doesn’t turn up. Not surprisingly, a day or so later the Garage / Shed is broken into and an attempt is made to steal the bike or it is stolen.
If you are considering selling your vehicle - or any expensive item - follow the guidance provided on the website. Do not automatically assume it is safe to pass over your address details and or photos of your vehicle outside of your garage, especially if it shows your street name and garage number. If you do so and the purchaser doesn’t turn up, be aware and pay close attention to the item you are selling and the security of the location it is stored.
Sadly, this may not just affect you. If your garage is broken into, your neighbour is likely to be targeted and may also sustain damage to their garage in the process.
Remember, whenever you place an advert you are also advertising what you have to steal. Read the guidance provided by the website carefully, and ask yourself if you really need to provide your address or do you meet somewhere public nearby? Always meet any prospective buyers in a well-lit, public area.
Attachments: motorbike-scooter-security and sheds-and-garages
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Rogue Trader / Fraud / Potential for Distraction Burglary.
An elderly resident living in rural Yeovil was on Wednesday (24th March) visited by a man claiming to work for a Loft Insulation Company. Prior to this they had received a phone call stating that their Loft insulation warranty was no longer valid as the previous company had become insolvent and they had to accept the visit to maintain the warranty. Once permitted access he was then supposedly looking at the loft hatch when the resident’s granddaughter arrived and noticed an unusual car parked on the driveway. Upon entering the property the granddaughter approached the male and noticed his lanyard did not contain his ID but a driving licence, he had no tools and was in poor health. The loft was not entered at any point and as such he was not left unattended with a photo being taken of the man concerned. The man left and was immediately reported to Police where enquiries are underway.
Do please remain alert to any potential bogus callers stating your Loft Insulation needs attention, how could they possibly know? If it needs work you will contact them, and if they are contacting you there is probably a good reason they do not have enough work.
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Bristol Disorder Statement.
Please see the attached document for a joint statement about the Bristol disorder at the weekend from the Chief Constable and the Police and Crime Commissioner.
Attachments: statement-from-chief-constable-and-pcc-following-bristol-disorder
"UPDATE: our initial information suggested two officers had broken bones. Thankfully the injuries – while still serious – did not involve fractures. We believed the information had been verified but it had not, and while we apologise for that there was no intention to mislead." (PDF)
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Scams / Local Numbers
We are hearing several reports of members receiving scam calls from local numbers, these are where scammers are trying to trick you into believing they MUST be real as they are near by. One such example has been received from a member in Martock who had a call claiming to be from Ebay security on a local number, very handy if there was indeed a problem with Ebay as we may be able to visit them to fix the problem (After Lockdown)! but quite clearly a scam. Several others have been reported since from various companies and again the ploy is to instil a sense of trust in the recipient.
Do please remain alert to any calls you receive advising for example you have a slow broadband connection, your loft insulation does not meet current regulations, you have post from Royal Mail that has not been fully paid, your Amazon Prime has expired or has been hacked, these will almost certainly be scams and if in doubt hang up, let the phone line clear for at least 5 minutes and then call the company back on a number you know, preferably on a different phone. And please never press 1 on your keypad when asked.
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Residential Garage Burglary.
A garage has been broken into overnight on the 17th in Celtic Way, Bleadon. The owner has reported that the garage door has been ripped open and once inside the offender has stolen 2 Mountain bikes described a White and Red with Black writing “Specialise” and the other is a Viper Bike with a Carbon Frame in Grey. A Black & Decker electric Chain Saw was also stolen.
Any information please contact the Police on 101 quoting Ref number: 5221057627 stating NHW Release or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111. Thank you for your support.
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Prolific burglars, robbers and thieves to be fitted with GPS tags in Avon and Somerset.
Avon and Somerset Police is one of six forces taking part in a world-first scheme involving burglars, thieves and robbers being made to wear GPS tags on release from prison.
With more than half of those convicted of theft and burglary reoffending within a year, this will be a vital extra source of intelligence to help police catch these persistent offenders.
Under new rules, offenders committing acquisitive crimes that have served a prison sentence of a year or more will be automatically fitted with a tag on release, allowing their whereabouts to be monitored by GPS satellites 24 hours a day for up to 12 months.
Police will work with HM Prison and Probation Service staff to investigate whether those on the tags have been in the vicinity of recent offences. It could provide the crucial evidence needed to catch the perpetrators.
The intention is the tags will also act as a deterrent, protecting the public from further burglaries and thefts and targeting so-called ‘career criminals’.
Minister for Crime and Policing, Kit Malthouse MP said: “Being burgled or robbed is devastating and I understand how frustrating it is when the perpetrators can’t be caught, both for the public and the police.
“Tagging these prolific offenders so we know where they are 24 hours a day should be powerful persuasion to change their ways and will help police find and charge them if they don’t. It’s another tool helping probation staff to cut crime and keep the public safe.”
National Police Chief’s Council Electronic Monitoring Lead, Deputy Chief Constable Jon Stratford said: “Tagging prolific offenders provides a strong deterrent and means officers will be able to quickly arrest and gather evidence against anyone suspected of being involved in a robbery, burglary or other theft.
“This scheme will play a part in our overall work to prevent crime and keep our communities safe.”
DCI Dickon Turner, who leads the Integrated Offender Management team at Avon and Somerset Police, said: “We’re pleased to be one of the initial six forces taking part in this scheme and we estimate around 60 offenders will be tagged within the first six months in our force area.
“This innovative partnership approach will provide another tool we can use to help break the cycle of re-offending and reduce the amount of acquisitive crime committed.
“We know these crimes cause untold misery to victims. We believe this scheme will intensify our ability to tackle these offences head-on and bring prolific offenders to justice.”
The scheme will initially launch in six police force areas (Avon and Somerset, Cheshire, Gloucestershire, Gwent, Humberside and West Midlands) on 12 April and will be extended to a further 13 areas in September.
Police officers will be able to submit any offences they are investigating to a dedicated unit overseen by HM Prison and Probation Service. Trained staff will then be able to check the location history of those on tags against the details of the crime, allowing police to either rule out or investigate suspects further.
The joined up nature of this work builds on the recently updated Integrated Offender Management strategy, which sees police and the Probation Service working together to reduce neighbourhood crime.
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Theft from an Outbuilding.
An outbuilding has been broken into sometime between the 11th and the 14th in Wimblestone Road, Winscombe. The offender has rolled back the roof in order to establish entry and once inside has stolen a motorcycle engine described as a Honda CR500 (Scrambler) before making off.
Any information please contact the Police on 101 quoting Ref number: 5221055152 stating NHW Release or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111. Thank you for your support.
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Vehicle Crime.
A car has been damaged overnight on the 10th in Anson Road, Locking. The owner of the Toyota vehicle returned to find the Catalytic Convertor had been cut away. Do please remain alert to any suspicious activity, particularly around the underside of any cars. Honda, Toyota & Lexus models in particular and report anything you feel unusual, this may include observing more than one person under or around a vehicle whilst jacking in a hurry and cutting noises.
Please read the attached advice. Any information please contact the Police on 101 quoting Ref number: 5221052101 stating NHW Release or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111. Thank you for your support.
Attachments: catalytic-convertor-theft-prevention
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Attempted Theft from a Garden Shed.
A garden shed was subject of an attempted theft on the 8th at 00:45 in Well Close, Winscombe. The owner observed 3 young males in their garden attempting to force the lock on the shed door but without success, they left quite promptly.
Any information please contact the Police on 101 quoting Ref number: 5221049203 stating NHW Release or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111. Thank you for your support.
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Phone fraud warning after incidents reported in Somerset
We’re reminding people to be cautious and recognise signs of telephone and courier fraud following a number of reported incidents in Somerset in recent days.
We’re investigating four reports in the Bridgwater area of fraudsters phoning potential victims and claiming to be police officers dealing with fraud.
In one instance, a woman in her 90s living in Sedgemoor, was called by a fraudster falsely claiming to be working for police in Bournemouth. He told her officers had arrested someone who had her account details and claimed her bank were involved in the scam.
He went on to encourage her to take out a four-figure sum from her bank and to lie to cashiers about why she was making such a large withdrawal, before handing it over to a ‘courier’ who would give her a password when he arrived. She duly handed the money to the fake ‘courier’ and also provided personal banking information over the phone, which led to money also being stolen from her account.
Fraud protect officer Amy Horrobin said: “Fraudsters tend to prey on the elderly and vulnerable people but anyone can be a victim. There’s no shame in being tricked by these professional criminals, they can be very convincing.
“We must stress though police will never asking you to make a withdrawal from your bank for an investigation. They will never ask you to hand over personal banking details, such as your PIN. And they will never ask you to hand money to a courier who will collect it. The same goes for banks and other legitimate organisations and agencies.
“It is difficult during a phone call out of the blue to always think clearly, especially if the subject appears at face value to be very serious.
“So if you are unsure if what you’re being told may be a scam, then hang up the phone – the person at the other end of the phone will not be offended by you being cautious, if they are who they claim to be.
“Leave it five minutes, make sure you hear a dialling tone and the person who called initially has cleared the line, before then calling the organisation or company back. Use a number they advertise on their website or in the phone book. Don’t use any number the person gives you.
“Alternatively call police on 101 or speak to someone you know for further advice.”
We are also aware of an unsuccessful attempt to defraud someone living near Glastonbury too over the past week.
Crime prevention advice
Genuine callers, such as from a bank, police or crime agency, will:
* never ask you to withdraw cash for them
* never arrange for cash to be collected by a courier
* never ask for bank card details
* never ask for your PIN
We’d urge any other victims in the Bridgwater area to come forward and contact the police on 101, giving reference number 5221045252.
More information on how to prevent being a victim of fraud is available on Action Fraud’s website and we’d ask people to spread the message to friends and family, especially people living alone, to prevent further victims. https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/
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