Royston Community Team

Rural Watch

July 2007

Covering Arbury, Ermine, Weston & Sandon Wards.

There has been a number of thefts from cars in North Hertfordshire whilst the vehicles have been left unattended outside shops, schools, leisure centres and farms.

The property stolen has included handbags, purses and other personal belongings and in most cases the offence has occurred as a result of the owner leaving the property on display.

Over a quarter of all recorded crime is ‘vehicle crime’, theft of vehicles or theft from vehicles. The most common types of property stolen from vehicles are handbags, laptop computers, stereos sat navs and mobile phones.

If your car is stolen or broken into it could mean weeks of inconvenience as well as extra expense. It may be difficult to protect your car from a determined thief, but most car crime is opportunist and you can deter a thief with vigilance and relatively cheap security precautions. Don’t be wise after the event, take the following advice to help turn the tide against car crime.

Never leave a car door unlocked, or a window or sunroof open, even when just going into a shop for a moment or two.

Remove the ignition key and engage the steering lock, even when parking on your own property.

If you have an alarm, turn it on every time you park.

Never leave any property on display in your car. If you can’t take it with you, lock it in the boot.

Security mark all property and if it is a removable type always take it with you. Make a note of the serial number and keep it in a safe place.

Do not leave credit cards or cheque books in the glove compartment. One in five stolen cheque and credit cards are taken from cars. Never leave your vehicle documents in the car, they could make it easier for a thief to sell it.

Hinxworth	High Street	25/06/07 1500 - 1525	26 veh / 32 mph / 24.4 mph
Ashwell	West end / Newham way	26/06/07 1045 - 1110	32 veh / 29 mph / 25.1 mph
Ashwell	Station rd (40 limit)	26/06/07 1115 - 1140	31 veh / 43 mph / 35.7 mph
Weston	Damask green rd	26/06/07 1245 - 1310	17 veh / 27 mph / 22.8 mph
Rushden	Moon + Stars	Road Closed for Repair
Bygrave	Upper Bygrave	25/06/07 1530 - 1550	22 veh / 34 mph / 26.2 mph
Barley	London Road	27/06/07 1115 - 1140	18 veh / 36 mph / 27.2 mph
Barkway	Royston Road	26/06/07 1530 - 1555	32 veh / 33 mph / 27.3 mph
Therfield	The Causeway	26/06/07 1615 - 1640	12 veh / 36 mph / 27.3 mph
Newham	Ashwell road	26/06/07 1150 - 1215	18 veh / 27 mph / 24.7 mph
Sandon	Rushden Road	27/06/07 1200 - 1225	14 veh / 28 mph / 23.3 mph

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

A burglary occurred at a storage unit in Newnham overnight from Saturday 9^th June. The thieves entered the premises by removing a corrugated wall panel, once inside, a generator was stolen along with an angle grinder, a power saw and two nail guns. (Crime no. G4/07/638).

A generator and an off road go cart were stolen from a barn situated in Bygrave Road, Baldock between Monday 18th and Monday 25^th June. (Crime no. G4/07/695). Similarly and possibly connected, an angle grinder and breaker was stolen from a derelict house in Bygrave Road between Thursday 21^st and Monday 25^th June. (Crime no. G4/07/694).

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

Sometime between Tuesday 5^th and Friday 15^th June, an industrial unit in Nuthampstead was broken into. The intruders smashed the padlock securing the door and although items inside the unit were moved around they appear to have left empty handed. (Crime no. G4/07/657).

Just before 11pm on Wednesday 6^th June, three males broke into a compound situated in Nuthampstead and attempted to siphon fuel from a parked and unattended HGV. The thieves were disturbed by a patrolling Police Officer and made good their escape. (Crime no. G4/07/629).

Between Friday 8^th and Monday 11^th June, a burglary occurred at a barn situated on farmland in Burrs Lane, Barkway. The intruders cut electrical wiring before leaving the premises empty handed. (Crime no. G4/07/645).

At 1.30pm on Wednesday 20^th June, a thief removed a quantity of tools from a trailer parked at the recreation ground in Barkway. The thief also entered the vehicle, which had been left insecure and helped themselves to a wallet that had been left inside. (Crime no. G4/07/676).

A garage in Royston Road, Barkway was broken into between 11am and 3pm on Thursday 21^st June. The intruders smashed a padlock but nothing was stolen from within. (Crime no. G4/07/680).

Two Cricketers had their wallets stolen from the changing rooms at Reed Green Cricket Pavilion between 2pm and 7pm on Sunday 24^th June.

(Crime no. G4/07/690 & 691).

A Ford Fiesta was broken into whilst it was parked in the Heath car park between 10am and 2.30pm on Wednesday 27^th June. The drivers’ side window was smashed but nothing was stolen from the vehicle. (Crime no. G4/07/699).

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

At 7.30pm on Friday 8^th June, a burglar let himself into the home of an elderly lady in Rushden. The male entered the house via an unlocked back door, before he entered the victim’s bedroom and rummaged through some drawers, removing cash and credit cards. The male then left the property via the bedroom window. The resident had been in the property at the time and saw the male leaving her house. He is described as a white male, aged approximately 18 years, slim build, with short brown hair and a tanned complexion. At the time of the incident, the male was wearing a short sleeved blue shirt and blue jeans. (Crime no. G3/07/535).

Two vehicles parked in Church Lane, Weston were the target of fuel thieves on two separate occasions between Tuesday 19^th and Monday 25^th June. On both occasions the vehicles were undercover of a garage or carport and the offender used an unknown implement to cut the fuel line and siphon fuel from the vehicles.

(Crime no. G3/07/565 & G3/07/585).

The windscreen of a Volkswagen Polo was smashed whilst it was parked in Damask Green Road overnight of Friday 22^nd June. (Crime no. G3/07/575).

Between 10.30pm on Tuesday 26^th and 3pm on Wednesday 27^th June, two garages in Wallington were broken into. The thieves entered the first garage in Kitts Lane via an insecure door and stole several electrical items of high value, including a television, satellite navigation system and audio equipment. The second garage to be broken into was in The Street and on this occasion the thieves damaged the door lock on entering the building and stole a strimmer along with several items of food and beverages. (Crime no’s G3/07/592 & G3/07/593).

APPEAL FOR WITNESSES TO AN ASSAULT IN ROYSTON

POLICE are appealing for witnesses and information after a man was found lying on the ground in Royston with severe head injuries.

A member of the public came across the 43-year-old on Jepps Lane at 1.10am on Saturday, June 9. The man is currently in Lister Hospital in a serious but stable condition.

Detective Sergeant Heath Monk is investigating and said: "We are continuing to piece together the events leading up to the assault, but I would like to make an appeal to anyone who may have been in the Barracuda club that night and may have any information to contact police. The victim had been in the club and had been involved in some sort of altercation.

“I would also like to speak to anyone who may have seen any suspicious activity in the area outside the club or around Jepps Lane to come forward with information.”

SUCCESS OF ROADS POLICING OPERATION ANNOUNCED – NORTH HERTS

A SENIOR roads policing officer has spoken about the success of Operation Sprain which was launched in the county earlier this year.

Operation Sprain targeted drivers of vehicles and mopeds who were causing anti- social behaviour with their vehicles.

Officers adapted a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to anyone found using a moped or other vehicle in an anti-social manner.

Sergeant Patrick Jones from the Roads Policing Unit based at Hitchin, said that a number of penalty notices had been issued since the start of the operation in February.

“We have seen a reduction in these types of motoring offences which indicates that the message is out there, this type of behaviour will not be tolerated in North Hertfordshire.
We will continue to issue warnings to users and will also be seizing bikes in a bid to stamp out this type of behaviour.”

Anyone caught using a mini motorbikes or mopeds who do not have adequate insurance will have it confiscated.

Sgt Jones added: “Our message is clear, if you are using one of these bikes on public land you will be spoken to by our officers. It is extremely difficult to acquire insurance for these bikes as they are for use at official tracks only. Those who use them are putting both themselves and other members of the public at risk.”

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

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	06/12/06	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	31^st January 2007	15^th August 2007	Parish Rooms Ashwell
G4D	7^th December 2006	18th July 2007	Fordham Hall, Therfield, 8pm.
G3C	27^th March 2007

Our first Locality Panel Meeting took place at kelshall Village Hall on the 19th April, we had a very interesting meeting and my first tasks were set.

Locality

Members

Martin Dingemans, Eric Gurney, Howard Marshall, Simon Holtom, Robert Law, Teddy Faure-Walker, Michael Meredith-Hardy, Steve Jarvis, Andrew Young, Tony Hunter, Gill Renison, Peter Shuttlewood, Keith Bone.

Meeting

19/04/07

Tasks set

1. Reducing Incidents of Nusience Motor cycling and Nusience 4 X 4 use, by increasing weekend patrols.

2. Supply uncorrupted data of the true speed of vehicles travelling on, A507 Radwell, London Road Barley, Causeway Therfield, Damask Green, Station Road, Newnham Road & Mill Street Ashwell, Mill Street Rushden and the A507 Clothall on Wednesdays.

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

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

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.