Safer Melbourn

Police & Neighbourhood Watch

Robberies In South Cambridgeshire

OFFICERS are linking 19 robberies and burglaries in South Cambridgeshire since November 4, 2007, where elderly victims have been targeted. Similar incidents have been happening across the region in Hertfordshire, Essex and Bedfordshire. The two latest incidents happened in Hildersham and Fulbourn on Monday, January 14th * The first incident happened at around 7.20pm at an address on Fromont Close, Fulbourn.Three men entered the house saying they were police officers. They then searched the property and left with an amount of money. * The second incident happened at about 7.50pm at an address in Meadowlands, Hildersham.

Two men claiming to be police officers entered the house and stole an amount of money and three shotguns.

The first man is described as around 38-years-old, 5’6” tall with a stocky build and dark brown short hair. He had a round reddish face with stubble and was wearing a dark blue baseball cap.

The second man is described as around 45-yearsold , 5’6” tall with a stocky build and stubble on his face. He was wearing a duffle coat with dark trousers and a hat.

Detective Inspector Alan Page said: “These offenders are not dressed like plain clothes police officers. They are wearing baseball caps and duffle coats. In all most all occasions when house to house enquires are being carried out following a burglary or robbery the officers will be in uniform.

“I suspect that as the elderly have started to close the door on people claiming to be from the Water Board the offenders have now switched to claiming to be police. They are using this ruse to trick people into showing them where there valuables are kept.

“These are despicable crimes and I would appeal to the community to report anything suspicious they may see. I suspect that the offenders are riding around looking for addresses to target so if you see a vehicle not local to the area riding around with multiple male occupants in an area where the elderly live phone the police control room saying you have a suspicious incident that relates to Op Promenade. An officer will be dispatched to check these people out.”

People in the area are being are advised to keep doors and windows locked and to call 999 if you discover someone in your home claiming to be a police officer.

Anyone with any information can contact DI Page at Parkside Police Station on 0845 456 456 4 or call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111. Lee & Emma.

NON EMERgENCy PHONE NUMBER 0845 4564564 or 01480 456111

Police Report Jan 2008

I write to keep you informed about the recent series of incidents, largely in rural areas where elderly residents were being burgled. There has been extensive publicity about these crimes and you will recall the suspects either entered homes through insecure doors and windows or used bogus stories to gain access. For example, they claimed to be police officers or used a variety of stories to justify their presence.

Cambridgeshire Police set up Operation Promenade in response to this series of crimes. The operation consists of high visibility patrols, detectives assigned to the operation and preventative measures and advice by the Police Crime Reduction Unit and partner agencies.

We have received a number of very helpful telephone calls; identifying vehicles and sightings of possible offenders (We have a photo-fit ID for one suspect and footprints from another site): these are providing us with useful lines of enquiries - so do please continue to be vigilant and keep calling! (See below).

The Crime Reduction Unit, the Distraction Burglary and Rogue Trader Task Group and South Cambridgeshire Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership have all made significant contributions towards raising the awareness of the problem and the simple steps you can take to keep you safe,

If you would like a talk from one of our Crime

Reduction Advisers, please do call Hilary Conner, manager of the Police Crime Reduction Unit on 0 1223 823479.

Thank you for your continued support and please continue to help us to keep our communities safe. We must keep up our guard. Here is a reminder of a few simple steps that you can take: Ensure your front and back doors are locked (to prevent anyone just walking into your home)

Ensure all windows, especially those on the ground floor are fitted with locks.

An intruder can gain entry through an opening no larger than 9” (22cm) so please take care with open windows.

When answering the door to a caller remember the following.

Locked Before opening the front door, ensure the back door is locked.

Stop Think - Are you expecting anyone? Do you normally get callers at this time?

Chain Always put the door chain or door bar across before you open the door. (This presents a physical and psychological barrier which shows the caller that you are in charge)

Check Never assume that what the caller is saying is true. Always ask for their I. D., take your time to check it and feel free to close the door whilst the checks are being made. Be aware that a bogus caller will have bogus I.D. so don’t always believe what is on the card e.g. telephone numbers especially mobile numbers. Always use the phone directory to authenticate identification. Remember a genuine caller will not mind waiting or will call back at a more convenient time.

If you are still not sure, don’t open the door

If you or a neighbour have any information about suspicious callers/vehicles in your area please call the Police on 0845 456 456 4 quoting Operation Promenade.

If you feel you are the victim of a crime and the suspect is still in the vicinity or you are witnessing a crime dial 999 immediately.

With your help we can put a stop to these despicable crimes.

Hilary Conner Crime Reduction Unit Manager Parkside Police Station Cambridge Protect your Satellite Navigation System by registering it on www.immobilise.com.

Immobilise is a FREE way to identify property and catch thieves

This site is searched thousands of times every day by police officers resulting in thieves being removed from the streets and property returned to its rightful owner. It is very simple to register items on www.immobilise.com. A user I.D. and password is generated allowing YOU to access your site and add or delete items at any time. There is no limit to the number of items you can register. Registered items are instantly identifiable making it far more likely that your property will be returned, the thief found and a successful prosecution achieved. Any item with a serial number, like Sat Navs, Laptops and ipods can be registered FREE of charge. For items like jewellery, antiques or horses there is the facility to upload photographs.

Imagine the scenario that your house has been burgled and your computer, which contains the inventory of your belongings, has been stolen. If you had registered with www.immobilise.com you could go to any computer, log on with your own I.D. and password and print out an inventory for the insurance company and the police. If you had a mobile phone stolen it is possible to register in retrospect on immobilise simply by contacting your airtime provider and asking for the IMEI number. The reason for doing this is as follows:

Having registered the IMEI number of the phone it is possible to go straight into the account and register the phone as lost/stolen. This means that, if the phone turns up in the hands of the police anywhere in the country, when they run a check on the IMEI number it will not only show that you are the registered owner but also the crime details. This will give police a fighting chance of finding out who committed the theft. It can give good evidence to support a successful prosecution and once blocked the handset will be ‘Immobilised ‘ and even replacing the Sim Card will not make the handset work again. Don’t make it easy for thieves. Go onto the ‘immobilise’ website and see how easy it is to register your property.

www.immobilise.com

www.cambs-police.co.uk/myneighbourhood/ecops/index.asp