Royston Community Team

Rural Watch

February 2008

Covering Arbury, Ermine, Weston & Sandon Wards.

OPEN NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH MEETING

There will be a Neighbourhood Watch and Police Meeting at 1900 hrs on Tuesday 12th February 2008 in Barley Village Hall. This is open to everyone and gives the Police a chance to let people know what they are doing and provides the public an opportunity to voice any opinions or concerns. It is hoped that a Police Dog Handler will be there with a Police Dog so children are welcome.

Ashwell	West end / Newham way	24/01/08 1230 - 1255	26 veh / 28 mph / 26.8 mph
Ashwell	Station rd (40 limit)	21/01/08 1100 - 1130	29 veh / 35 mph / 27.4 mph
Bygrave	Lower Bygrave	23/01/08 1515 - 1540	28 veh / 36 mph / 28.7 mph
Barley	Cambridge Road	22/01/08 1200 - 1230	49 veh / 34 mph / 27.6 mph
Barkway	Royston Road	22/01/08 1235 - 1300	23 veh / 28 mph / 24.2 mph
Therfield	The Causeway	22/01/08 1310 - 1340	13 veh / 32 mph / 26.9 mph
Newham	Ashwell road	21/01/08 1230 - 1300	28 veh / 31 mph / 26.9 mph
Weston	Damask Green Road	23/01/08 1145 - 1210	16 veh / 26 mph / 23.4 mph
Rushden	Moon and Stars	22/01/08 1400 - 1425	18 veh / 32 mph / 27.1 mph
Hinxworth	High Street	29/01/08 1700 - 1730	30 veh / 30 mph / 24.3 mph

G4E; - Ashwell, Hinxworth, Bygrave, Newnham & Caldecote

Overnight of Tuesday 1^st January, vandals sprayed a Mercedes Benz with yellow and green paint whilst it was parked in Back Street, Ashwell. (Crime no. G4/08/9).

The occupants of a dark red Vauxhall Cavalier are believed to have been responsible for smashing a window at Ashwell Post Office at approximately 4.15am on Saturday 5^th January. (Crime no. G4/08/12).

During the early hours of Wednesday 9^th January, fuel was siphoned from a Mini parked in Back Street, Ashwell. (Crime no. G4/08/32).

A window of a house in Back Street was smashed, Ashwell at approximately 11.15pm on Thursday 17^th January. (Crime no. G4/08/45).

A Volvo parked in Mill Street had its bodywork damaged overnight of Thursday 17^th January. (Crime no. G4/08/48).

Four teenaged youths have received a Police reprimand after Police Officers were called to a report of youths throwing stones at a parked car in Royston Road, Baldock at 11.35pm on Saturday 19^th January. (Crime no. G4/08/54).

Thieves stole a copper cylinder from a farmyard at Slip End during the afternoon of Sunday 27^th January. (Crime no. G4/08/81).

G4D; - Barkway, Barley, Reed, Nuthampstead, Newsells, Kelshall & Therfield

Thieves broke into a shed in Bank Side, Barley sometime between Saturday 22^nd December and Saturday 5^th January and stole various items of gardening equipment. (Crime no. G4/08/13).

A Volkswagen Estate was stolen from a driveway in Nuthampstead sometime during the course of Monday 7^th January. (Crime no. G4/08/35).

PC Marina arrested a 35 year old male during the afternoon of Tuesday 8^th January after he was seen to cause damage to crops in his attempt to course hares in the area of Kelshall Road. (Crime no. G4/08/23).

Two lead pots containing ornamental trees were stolen from outside the front of a house in the High Street, Barkway overnight of Wednesday 9^th January.

(Crime no. G4/08/29).

The rear windscreen wiper was ripped off of a Mercedes 320 whilst it was parked in Church Lane, Barkway overnight of Sunday 27^th January. (Crime no. G4/08/89).

Patrolling Officers had cause to stop and speak to the driver of a Ford Transit in Rooks Nest Lane, Therfield on Wednesday 30^th January. On searching the vehicle a baseball bat was found concealed within the vehicle and the 31-year-old driver was subsequently arrested for being in possession of an offensive weapon.

(Crime no. G4/08/96).

G3C; - Sandon, Wallington, Rushden, Clothal & Weston

Between 12pm and 12.20pm on New Years Day, thieves smashed the passenger side window of a Volvo 440 parked in Cumberlow Green, Rushden and stole a ladies handbag. (Crime no. G3/08/1).

Thieves siphoned a quantity of diesel from a lorry parked up in lay-by in Kits Lane, Wallington on two separate occasions. Firstly, between Friday 11^th and Sunday 13^th January and then they returned and committed a second theft overnight of Wednesday 16^th January. (Crime no. G3/08/25 & G3/08/36).

A 23 year old male from Weston received a Police caution after Police Officers in Stevenage had reason to stop the vehicle he was driving and established that the vehicle did not belong to him and he did not have the owners permission to drive it. (Crime no. G3/08/48).

Damage was caused to a porch door adjoining a house in Baldock Road, Weston overnight of Wednesday 30^th January. It would appear that the damage was caused in an attempt to lever the door open. A local resident reported seeing a red pick up truck in the vicinity which may be connected. (Crime no. G4/08/65).

January has been a busy month in the rural. There has been a number of burglaries still be committed and as such one of the various improvements that we have made in an attempt to reassure residents and prevent further crime is to increase foot patrols by PCSO’s KENNEDY and BRABROOK. They have also been busy making arrangements to complete crime prevention road shows providing advice and on security and how to keep your homes safe. These are due over the next four months with the first being in Wallington on 16^th February.

PC MARINA has also been combating an increase in Hare Coursing. With thanks to everyone in the Rural Neighbourhood for contacting Police when they see these offences take place and with PC MARINA’s hard work we have had some good results. We have made a number of arrests, seized vehicles and warned the drivers of other vehicles that continued use of their vehicle in an anti-social manner will mean that their vehicle will be confiscated by Police.

Unfortunately Royston Town has also experienced vehicles being used in anti-social manner and this has resulted in vehicles owned by people living in the town being warned about their continued anti-social use of their vehicle. Any continued use of their vehicle in this manner will allow Police to seize the vehicle. Whilst we understand that driving is a pleasure, it is also a responsible past time. Drivers must not race, or wheel spin or do anything else with their vehicle in a public place likely to cause harassment or distress to another. If they do, Police can give a warning that any future similar use will give Police the power to confiscate their vehicle.

This power has already been put to use across North Hertfordshire.

PCSO TRUSSELL has also recently been completing a Neighbourhood Watch survey on the Ridings Estate in Royston Town. Surveys have been handed out to all the residents and there have already been many positive responses. A meeting will be planned where all interested residents will be invited.

Royston remains a low crime area and by working together we can ensure that it remains that way.

If any of you want to contact me, please do so on 01438 757926. or via e-mail at: peter.frost@herts.pnn.police.uk

MAN ORDERED TO PAY £160,000 FOLLOWING CONFISCATION HEARING

A 44-year-old man who is currently serving a five year prison sentence for fraud offences has been ordered to pay £160,000 under the Proceeds of Crime Act (2002).

A Confiscation Order was made against Anthony Davies of Richmond Road, Kingston-Upton Thames at Luton Crown Court on Thursday, January 10. If Davies fails to pay the sum within three months he will have to serve an extra thirty months to his existing sentence. A part of the value of the confiscation order will now be reinvested back into police to help fight crime.

In May 2007, Davies pleaded guilty at Luton Crown Court to intercepting and altering commercial cheques across Hertfordshire. During his criminal career, Davies used his illegal funds to pay for a Ferrari, two Porsches and a Mercedes sports car, the rent on his riverside apartment, expensive clothes and jewellery.

He was arrested in Stevenage in February 2007, following an operation led by Hertfordshire Constabulary with assistance from City of London Police and Surrey Police. He was charged with converting criminal property and obtaining property by deception.

Total for 2003 – 2004 = 80

Total for 2004 – 2005 = 26

Total for 2005 – 2006 = 6

Total for 2006 – 2007 = 17

Reported Hare coursing Incidents in our area.

	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	April
03-04	3	13	28	3	8	13	9	3
04-05	4	13	4	0	4	0	1	0
05-06	0	3	0	0	1	1	1	0
06-07	0	4	4	6	1	0	2	0
07-08	3	10	4	6	9

Dates Hare Coursing and Nuisance Patrols Carried Out.

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

July

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Road Traffic Collisions For A507 Baldock to Cumberlow Green

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

July

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Last time we attended

RUSHDEN	20/02/07	SANDON	08/02/06
THERFIELD	25/04/07	REED	07/03/07
BARKWAY	16/05/07	BARLEY	08/01/07
KELSHALL	16/04/07	NUTHAMP	01/05/07
ASHWELL	05/09/07	BYGRAVE	08/01/07
CALDECOTE	05/01/07	WESTON	08/03/07
RADWELL	24/04/07	WALLIGTON	20/02/07
HINXWORT	01/03/07	CLOTHALL	09/05/07

Area	Last Meeting	Next Meeting	Location and Time
G4E	15^th August 2007
G4D	18th July 2007	Barley	7pm 16/02/08
G3C	11^th October 2007

Locality

Members

Martin Dingemans, Eric Gurney, Howard Marshall, Simon Holtom, Robert Law, Teddy Faure-Walker, , Steve Jarvis, Andrew Young, Tony Hunter, Peter Shuttlewood, Keith Bone Christine Schwick, Janette Kingsley.

Meeting

22/12/07

Tasks set

1. High visibility patrols in daylight hours at weekend in a bid to Reduce Incidents of Hare coursing, Nusience Motor cycling and Nusience 4 X 4 use.

2. Continue with crime prevention and evidence gathering thus keeping crime as low as possible.

3. Continue with speed checks by PCSO’s to monitor vehicle speeds; enforcement was not considered a good use of resources.

Please click on the below link to meet some of the people we wish to becomes friends with.

http://www.herts.police.uk/CCTV/gallery.htm

Rural Watch

Jan

RUSHDEN

SANDON

THERFIELD

ASHWELL

BYGRAVE

CALDECOTE

Please click on the below link to meet some of the people we wish to becomes friends with.