Crime & Police News Autumn/Winter 2017/18

Here you can find the latest crime information:

Go here for the March Newsletter from the Southam SNT

Go here for the February Newsletter from the Warwickshire Police & Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe

March 2018 Parish Magazine NHW News is here

With courtesy of CSW Broadband newsletter:-

Hoax Slayer

Hoax Slayer is a great resource to find out about the latest online scams, or to check if an email that you have received is genuine. We hear so much these days about various phishing emails (an email that pretends to come from a trusted source and seeks to gather your personal data and passwords); scams and online frauds that it can be difficult to know what’s true and what isn’t. Hoax Slayer is a great FREE resource that explodes the latest myths, and provides a search facility so that you can paste in text to see if your email is real or not.

 

It’s worth a read just to see how blatant some of these scams are – it does make you wonder how people can fall for some of them! However, not everybody is Internet savvy, and even those of us who think we’ve got it nailed can get caught out sometimes. For more information, visit http://www.hoax-slayer.net

You can view the Napton crime map by clicking here

Click here for the January newsletter from our Police Commissioner

Click here for the December issue of the Southam SNT Newsletter

Incident 182 of 26 January – During the night of 25 into 26 January, offenders broke into a shed in a field at a premises in Vicarage Road, Napton after levering off the lock latch.  Once inside, the offenders carried out a tidy search before making off with a steel brush cutter.

Incident 352 of 28 January – At some point on 22 January, offenders forced the lock off a shed at a home in Butt Hill, Napton and stole a Ryobi hedge trimmer and a Titan pole saw.

Incident 81 of 29 January – At around midnight 27/27 January, the resident of a home in High Street, Napton heard a crashing noise and went to investigate.  The resident discovered that a front window was wide open and smashed.  The offenders made off and are not thought to have entered the property.

Incident 345 of 29 January – At some point before 5pm on 29 January, offenders broke into a storage container in the rear garden of a home in Tomlow Road, Stockton and carried out a search.  Nothing was stolen.

Please see information below and attached poster from our Cyber Crime Team which I would be grateful if you could disseminate to any contacts who you feel would benefit from this online training.

Please contact Alex Gloster on 01926 412261 ext: 2261 alexgloster@warwickshire.gov.uk

Beware of phishing Email using police branding – this bogus Email says that you are being summoned to court as a witness, and asks you to follow a link which could then lead to a virus or malware being placed on your computer. It uses a ‘police.uk’ heading and suggests it is from the CPS online portal, but it is clearly not official and represents a risk to security. If you receive this email, do not click on any links – delete it immediately.

Car key burglary at business premises in Stockton Road, Stockton

Please be aware that between 2 and 5.30pm on 15 January, offenders stole a white Mazda vehicle from the carpark of a business premises in Stockton Road, Stockton.

The offenders had entered a building at the site and stole the keys to the vehicle.

 

Read more

Incidents at premises in Stockton and Napton

Please be aware of the following incidents, which have occurred at premises in your area over recent days:

Incident 134 of 8 January – Between 5 and 8 January, offenders smashed a rear window at a home in Ladbroke and entered the premises,  Once inside, the offenders carried out a tidy search of the kitchen and the lounge before making off with several items.

Incident 182 of 8 January – Between 12.20 and 1.20pm on 8 January, offenders broke into a home in Priors Hardwick by smashing the rear French doors with a brick.  Once inside, the offenders carried out a search before making off with several items.

Read more

Incident 31 of 20 November – During the night of 19 into 20 November, offenders broke into a cottage home in Cox’s Lane, Napton, through a front window.  Once inside, the offenders stole a handbag containing keys to a vehicle.  The offenders use the keys to steal the vehicle from outside.

Incident 141 of 19 November – During the night of 18 into 19 November, offenders stole a motorbike from outside a home in Elm Row, Napton.  The owner of the bike still has the keys.

Incident 128 of 21 November – During the night of 20 into 21 November, offenders broke into a vehicle parked outside a home in The Poplars, Napton and stole a set of keys.

 

Read more

Incidents at premises in Long Itchington

Please be aware of the following incidents, which have occurred at premises in Long Itchington,over recent days:

Incident 37 of 20 November – During the night of 19 into 20 November, offenders broke into a home in Odingsell Drive, Long Itchington, through a ground floor toilet window.  Once inside the house, the offenders stole the keys to two VW vehicles and then used them to drive the vehicles away.

Incident 200 of 20 November – At just before midnight on 20 November, offenders attempted to break into a home in Dale Close, Long Itchington through the front door.  The offenders failed to get inside the house and nothing was stolen.

Incident 131 of 19 November – During the night of 18 into 19 November, offenders stole a vehicle from a home in Leigh Crescent, Long Itchington.  Police stopped the vehicle in Coventry and the offender was arrested.

Incident 109 of 20 November – During the night of 19 into 20 November, offenders broke into a van parked in Short Lane, Long Itchington by forcing open the side door.  Once inside the van, the offenders stole a large quantity of hand and power tools.

Read more

Warwickshire Police need your help with information about suspicious activity

Warwickshire Police currently have two countywide operations in progress.  These operations are focussing on reducing the number of incidents of vehicle crime and house burglaries across Warwickshire.

In order to get the very best out of these operations, we need the help and support of local communities with information and intelligence.

If you think something in your area is suspicious, it probably is.  You will know your area and its usual activity, comings/ goings and if you think something is odd, out of place and suspicious, we need to hear from you.

Before every incident, there is usually some suspicious activity and we need calls to make us aware of this.  Please could we encourage you to call 101 if you notice suspicious persons, vehicles or activity around their own or neighbouring homes.

If you believe that a crime is in progress, please dial 999.

Finally, to ensure that this message reaches as many people as possible, please could we ask you to share this message as widely as you can.  Thank you.

 

Read more

Incidents at homes in Banbury Road, Ploughmans Holt & Craven Lane, Southam

Please be aware of the following incidents, which have occurred at homes in Southam over recent days:

Incident 111 of 8 November – During the night of 7 into 8 November, offenders stole an Audi vehicle from outside a home in Banbury Road, Southam.  The keys to the vehicle are still with the owner.

Incident 116 of 8 November – During the same night, offenders forced open the front door of a Ford Transit van parked outside a home in Ploughmans Holt, Southam and stole a large amount of power tools. Ditto in Deppers Bridge

Incident 194 of 8 November – At some point before 1.15pm on 8 November, offenders caused damage to a Peugeot vehicle parked outside a home in Craven Lane, Southam 

Read more

Burglary at home in Church Road, Long Itchington

Please be aware that between 11.30am and 4.45pm on 1 November, offenders entered the rear garden of a home in Church Road, Long Itchington and then smashed a rear window of t he house with a brick.

The offenders entered the house but nothing appears to have been stolen.

The offenders also attached the garden shed and took out a spade but again, nothing seems to be missing.

Read more

Theft of motorbike from home in Ladbroke, Leamington

Please be aware that between 3 and 3.30am on 23 October, offenders stole a green Kawasaki motorcross bike from a garage at a cottage home in Ladbroke, Leamington.

The offenders smashed the lock off the garage to get inside.

Read more

Burglaries at homes in Southam & Bishops Itchington

Please  be aware of the following incidents, which have occurred at homes in your area over recent days:

Incident 159 of 4 October – At some point in the three weeks before 4 October, offenders broke into a home on Southam By-Pass, Southam after smashing through the front doors.  Once inside, the offenders carried out a very messy search but it is not clear if anything was stolen.

Incident 88 of 6 October – At 1.30pm on 6 October, the resident of a home in Hartshorne Road, Bishops Itchington saw three males in the rear garden.  The males had jemmied open the rear door of the house, causing damage to the door frame.  Once they realised that they had been spotted, the offenders quickly made off, via the side of the house.  Nothing appears to have been stolen.

Read more

Warwickshire Trading Standards – Rogue Trader & Scam Alerts

Please read and share the following Warwickshire Trading Standards Scam and Rogue Trader Alerts:

Bogus Police phone call warning

Fraudsters are pretending to be Police Officers in order to steal bank account information, Warwickshire Trading Standards understands.

Members of the public have reported several incidents where they have received phone calls from people claiming to be Police Officers investigating a crime involving their bank cards. The callers then ask for bank card details, including long numbers, sort codes, the security number on the back and PINs.

The information is then used to scam them out of thousands of pounds.

No Police Force will ever ask you for bank details in this way.

NEVER divulge any bank/card information to people who phone you. If you believe the caller is genuine, ask to phone back on a publicly listed telephone number.

Unclaimed parcel scam

Warwickshire Trading Standards are warning residents to beware of emails that carry the words ‘Unclaimed Parcel’ or similar. These bogus emails, which typically are not addressed directly to the recipient, but instead use their email address, encourage the recipient to click on a link to ‘Activate’ their delivery.

There is also often a reference to the potential ‘value’ of the package, which is usually very high.

Clicking on links in bogus emails can expose your PC to viruses. NEVER click on a link or download an attachment in a suspicious email. Always DELETE them.

Solar panel owners warned of rogue trader ‘cleaning’ services

Owners of solar panels are warned to beware of rogue traders door knocking in the Warwickshire area offering to clean their roofs. The rogue traders give the false impression that they are working on behalf of the solar panel installers and suggest to the home owners that their roof is due a clean due to the length of time the solar panels have been installed.

The rogues are reported to be charging between £1300 and £1700 for work that is overpriced and is more likely to damage the roof (and the solar panels) than clean it. Homeowners are advised not to allow people to pressure wash their roofs. Pressure washing roofs can lead to the roof tiles lifting.

The rogue traders may also be involved in other forms of criminal activity and may be taking the opportunity to scope people’s homes for burglaries.

NEVER buy goods or services from an unexpected doorstep trader. Keep your door CLOSED.

Rogue traders masquerading as genuine businesses

Rogue doorstep traders are masquerading as genuine businesses both on the doorstep and online to get work warn Warwickshire Trading Standards. One Warwickshire resident thought they were employing a genuine landscaping business but when the workers turned up, they were clearly bogus, not using correct PPE (personal protective equipment) or possessing insurance.

If you are interested in employing a particular business to carry out work at your property, check their name, address and contact details against several sources (classified advertisements, Google searches etc.) to ensure you are contacting the correct business.

Make a scam/rogue trader complaint to Trading Standards via Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 03454 040506.

Warwickshire Trading Standards Website Facebook Twitter

Sign up to scam alerts at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/scams

Avoid rogue traders. Use Warwickshire Trading Standards No Rogue Traders Here approved trader scheme

Crime & Police News July-August 2017

Now Police Newsletter here: https://www.warwickshire.police.uk/article/36268/Stratford-SNT-Newsletter-Wk32

And Southam specific is here: https://www.warwickshire.police.uk/article/2271/Southam?uprn=10024634741

Burglary at premises in Leamington Road, Long Itchington

Please be aware that between 12noon on 19 August and 2pm on 1 September, offenders entered an empty house, used as storage, in Leamington Road, Long Itchington, after removing boarding from a ground floor window.

Several items were stolen.

Read more

Burglary at home in Little Dassett, Southam

Please be aware that between 6.20 and 9.15pm on 30 August, offenders entered a the grounds of a rural home in Little Dassett, Southam and then forced open the rear door of the house.

Once inside, the offenders carried out an untidy search of drawers, storage boxes and furniture before making off with a white IPhone 4S.  The offenders left the property through the front door.

Read more

Burglary at home in Rugby Road, Stockton

Please be aware that  between 11.45am and 4pm on 7 August, offenders entered a home in Rugby Road, Stockton, through an insecure ground floor window.

Once inside the house, the offenders carried out an untidy search before making off with several items of jewellery and a quantity of cash.

Read more

Burglary at home in Southam Road, Long Itchington

Please be aware that during the night of 14 into 15 July, offenders entered the grounds of a rural home in Southam Road, Long Itchington and then entered an open sided stable block. 

Once inside, the offenders stole a large quantity of scrap lead and then left the premises across playing fields.

Read more

Burglary at rural home in Long Itchington

Please be aware that at some point between 6pm on 30 June and 1.30pm on 2 July, offenders smashed the lock off the door of a barn at a rural home in Long Itchington.

Once inside the barn, the offenders stole 2 off road bikes.

Read more

 

Crime & Police News March-May 2017

Crime, Police and Trading Standards news for March, April and May will appear here:

Burglary, HURST RD, SOUTHAM

BURGLARY RESIDENTIAL DWELLING took place between 14:00:00 on TUESDAY 06-JUN-2017 and 14:30:00 on TUESDAY 06-JUN-2017 at HURST RD, SOUTHAM.

Unknown offenders have gained entry into the property via a small conservatory window which has been left insecure. Tidy search completed within most rooms of the house. At this time there is an unknown quantity of jewellery missing along with a Mercedes A Class VRM BG**LNT. Keys to a further vehicle were also taken.

Message sent by
Action Fraud (Action Fraud, Administrator, National)

Smishing – the term used for SMS phishing – is an activity which enables criminals to steal victims’ money or identity, or both, as a result of a response to a text message. Smishing uses your mobile phone (either a smartphone or traditional non-internet connected handset) to manipulate innocent people into taking various actions which can lead to being defrauded.   The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau has received information that fraudsters are targeting victims via text message, purporting to be from their credit card provider, stating a transaction has been approved on their credit card.   The text message further states to confirm if the transaction is genuine by replying ‘Y’ for Yes or ‘N’ for No.   Through this method the fraudster would receive confirmation of the victim’s active telephone number and would be able to engage further by asking for the victim’s credit card details, CVV number (the three digits on the back of your bank card) and/or other personal information.   Protect yourself:

  • Always check the validity of the text message by contacting your credit card provider through the number provided at the back of the card or on the credit card/bank statement.
  • Beware of cold calls purporting to be from banks and/or credit card providers.
  • If the phone call from the bank seems suspicious, hang up the phone and wait for 10 minutes before calling the bank back. Again, refer to the number at the back of the card or on the bank statement in order to contact your bank.
  • If you have been a victim of fraud or cyber crime, please report it to Action Fraud at http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/ or alternatively by calling 0300 123 2040

Advice from Police in these troubled times:

Acts of terrorism and hate crimes are committed by a small minority of people and are not representative of the public. This is a time for us all to work closely together and unite against those who seek, through violence and extremism, to intimidate or cause fear.


“Therefore we need your help; please remain vigilant and to report any suspicious behaviour or activity on 0800 789 321 or in an emergency always call 999.


“There is also easy-to-remember national guidance of ‘Run, Hide, Tell’ – run to a place of safety, hide in a secure place, when it’s safe to do so, tell police by calling 999.”

For further information about reporting suspicious behaviour visit https://act.campaign.gov.uk/

 

Message sent by
Action Fraud (Action Fraud, Administrator, National)

Following the ransomware cyber attack on Friday 12 May which affected the NHS and is believed to have affected other organisations globally, the City of London Police’s National Fraud Intelligence Bureau has issued an alert urging both individuals and businesses to follow protection advice immediately and in the coming days.   Ransomware is a form of malicious software (Malware) that enables cyber criminals to remotely lock down files on your computer or mobile device. Criminals will use ransomware to extort money from you (a ransom), before they restore access to your files. There are many ways that ransomware can infect your device, whether it be a link to a malicious website in an unsolicited email, or through a security vulnerability in a piece of software you use.   Key Protect messages for businesses to protect themselves from ransomware:

  • Install system and application updates on all devices as soon as they become available.
  • Install anti-virus software on all devices and keep it updated.
  • Create regular backups of your important files to a device that isn’t left connected to your network as any malware infection could spread to that too.

The National Cyber Security Centre’s technical guidance includes specific software patches to use that will prevent uninfected computers on your network from becoming infected with the “WannaCry” Ransomware: https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/guidance/ransomware-latest-ncsc-guidance   For additional in-depth technical guidance on how to protect your organisation from ransomware, details can be found here: https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/guidance/protecting-your-organisation-ransomware   Key Protect advice for individuals:

  • Install system and application updates on all devices as soon as they become available.
  • Install anti-virus software on all devices and keep it updated.
  • Create regular backups of your important files to a device (such as an external hard drive or memory stick) that isn’t left connected to your computer as any malware infection could spread to that too.
  • Only install apps from official app stores, such as Google’s Play Store, or Apple’s App Store as they offer better levels of protection than some 3rd party  stores. Jailbreaking, rooting, or disabling any of the default security features of your device will make it more susceptible to malware infections.

Phishing/smishing Fraudsters may exploit this high profile incident and use it as part of phishing/smishing campaigns. We urge people to be cautious if they receive any unsolicited communications from the NHS. The protect advice for that is the following:

  • An email address can be spoofed. Don’t open attachments or click on the links within any unsolicited emails you receive, and never respond to emails that ask for your personal or financial details.
  • The sender’s name and number in a text message can be spoofed, so even if the message appears to be from an organisation you know of, you should still exercise caution, particularly if the texts are asking you to click on a link or call a number.

Don’t disclose your personal or financial details during a cold call, and remember that the police and banks will never ring you and ask you to verify your PIN, withdraw your cash, or transfer your money to another “safe” account.

15-05-2017 01:40 PM BST

Fraudsters are again phoning Warwickshire residents claiming to be from the Telephone Preference Service and asking for credit and debit card details to subscribe to the service or renew the service.

The Telephone Preference Service is a FREE service. The TPS will NEVER contact residents asking for any bank information.

15/05/2017 Bogus ‘BT caller’

15-05-2017 01:39 PM BST

A residents reported receiving an unexpected phone call from someone claiming to be calling from BT to say that the resident had arrears on their landline. When the resident said they were a Virgin customer the caller then changed their tune and claimed to be calling from Virgin!

Doubtless the fraudster was hoping to get the resident to pay their non-existent arrears to them by taking a debit or credit card payment down the phone!

15/05/2017 Bogus Severn Trent caller

15-05-2017 01:39 PM BST

Residents are warned to beware of unexpected calls from fraudsters claiming to be calling from Severn Trent. A Warwickshire householder received such a call but sensibly put the phone down. They later contacted Severn Trent who confirmed that the call was bogus.

15/05/2017 American bogus HMRC caller

15-05-2017 01:38 PM BST

A Warwickshire resident reported receiving a phone call from someone claiming to be from HMRC to say that they were taking a ‘lawsuit’ against him. The resident quickly spotted that it was a scam call and described the caller as having an American accent.

A second resident received a similar phone call, this time an automated one. The automated ‘HMRC’ message told the resident that they should phone a number before legal action was taken against them. The resident phoned the number and spoke to some who claimed that a warrant had been issued for their arrest for non-payment of taxes!

These bogus phone calls are known to HMRC which has issued some additional advice

Make a scam/rogue trader complaint to Trading Standards via Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 03454 040506

Burglary at home in Abbey Lane, Southam

Please be aware that between 3.30 and 4pm on 6 May, a male approached the resident of a home in Abbey Lane, Southam as she was in her garden and insisted that she turn the taps on in her kitchen and the toilet due to high pressure.

Whilst the resident complied and was occupied, two other offenders entered the house and went upstairs to search through drawers and cupboards, stealing items of jewellery.

All three offenders then left the house and the resident saw them walk off.

Read more

Incidents at homes in Collingham Lane & Leather Street, Long Itchington

Please be aware of the following incidents, which have occurred at homes in Long Itchington over recent days:

Incident 273 of 8 May – Between 12noon on 6 and 5.20pm on 8 May, offenders forced open a wooden framed side access door at a home in Collingham Lane, Long Itchington and entered the premises.

Once inside, offenders carried out an untidy search of drawers and cupboards throughout the house before making off with items of jewellery.

Incident 243 of 8 May – Between 11.45am and 12.10pm on 8 May, offenders entered the rear garden of a home in Leather Street, Long Itchington and forced open a rear bay window of the house.  The offenders were then disturbed and made off with an box containing an IPhone 6.

A witness saw 4 people dressed in dark clothing run past the front of the house, towards the main road.

Read more

Burglary at home in Church End, Priors Hardwick

Please be aware that between 9am and 8.30pm on 8 May, offenders entered the rear garden of a cottage home in Church End, Priors Hardwick and then smashed a small glass panel in a wooden framed door.

The offenders then reached through, unlocked the door with a key which had been left in the lock and entered the premises.  Once inside, the offenders carried out an untidy search of the cottage, throwing drawers and clothing on the floor before making off with 2 IPad tablets and items of jewellery.

Read more

Message sent by
Action Fraud (Action Fraud, Administrator, National)

There has been a series of recent incidents reported to Action Fraud where a lone fraudster has approached victims whom they believe to be unfamiliar with the local area. They make an excuse to talk to the victims such as enquiring about directions or offering a recommendation for a good hotel.   After this interaction, several other fraudsters will intervene purporting to be police officers in plain clothes and will sometimes present false identification as proof. The fake officers will then give a reason to examine the victims’ wallet, purse or personal items. They may also examine the first fraudster’s items or try to tell victims that the first fraudster is suspicious in order to gain victim trust and appear more realistic in their guise.   After all the fake police ‘checks’ are finished, victims have then reported being handed back their personal items only to later realise that a quantity of money or valuables were missing.   How to protect yourself:

  • If an individual claims to be a police officer ask for their name and rank, force, and examine any identification presented; this is always good practice but especially important if they are not wearing a uniform.
  • The Police will never ask for your passwords or PIN details. Do not give this information to anyone.
  • The Police will never request that you withdraw/transfer any money to them or to a ‘safe’ account.
  • If you have been affected by this, or any other fraud, report it to Action Fraud by visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk

Theft from porch of home in Horsewell, Southam
Please be aware that between the hours of 11:30 and 17:30 on Thursday 20th April, am offender entered the insecure porch of a home in Horsewell, Southam, and opened several birthday cards which had arrived in the post. A letter and a quantity of cash were stolen.

Read more

Wonga has confirmed a data breach where up to 250,000 accounts have been compromised. The incident is now being investigated by the police and has been reported to the Financial Conduct Authority.

Wonga has updated their website with further information and confirmed that they are contacting all those affected and are taking steps to protect them, but there are also some things you can do to keep your information secure.

Burglary at business premises in Warwick Street, Southam

Please be aware that during the night of 7 into 8 April, offenders tried to force open a single glazed door at a business premises in Warwick Street, Southam but were unsuccessful.

The offenders then threw bricks from a nearby wall through the bottom panel of the double glazed front door and entered the [premises.

Once inside, the offenders carried out a search of the premiseds before making off with 3 pairs of whal clippers, 11 pairs of scissors, hair products and a quantity of cash

Read more

Community information, Warwickshire

There has recently been a number of incidents where Volkswagen cars have been targeted by offenders, both stealing them directly and breaking into properties to steal the keys and then the vehicles.
If you are an owner of a Volkswagen vehicle please review your security arrangements. Wherever possible park it in a garage or where it cannot be seen from the road. If you do not already have it consider installing a tracker device and a good quality alarm system, independent of the vehicle. CCTV and good lighting is also something that can help.
Steering locks can also be an effective deterrent; keep the keys separate to the ignition keys.
If you see anyone acting suspiciously near your property or vehicle please call 101 or 999 if a crime is in progress.

Read more

Scam update and click here to download the April CyberScam newsletter:

Fraudsters are sending out a high volume of phishing emails to personal and business email addresses, pretending to come from various email addresses, which have been compromised.   The subject line contains the recipient’s name, and the main body of text is as below:   “Hi, [name]!   I am disturbing you for a very serious reason. Although we are not familiar, but I have significant amount of individual info concerning you. The thing is that, most likely mistakenly, the data of your account has been emailed to me.   For instance, your address is:   [real home address]   I am a law-abiding citizen, so I decided to personal data may have been hacked. I attached the file – [surname].dot that I received, that you could explore what info has become obtainable for scammers. File password is – 2811   Best Wishes,”   The emails include an attachment – a ‘.dot’ file usually titled with the recipient’s name.

 

This attachment is thought to contain the Banking Trojan Ursniff/Gozi, hidden within an image in the document. The Ursniff Banking Trojan attempts to obtain sensitive data from victims, such as banking credentials and passwords. The data is subsequently used by criminals for monetary gain. Protect Yourself:

Having up-to-date virus protection is essential; however it will not always prevent your device(s) from becoming infected.   Please consider the following actions:

  • Don’t click on links or open any attachments you receive in unsolicited emails or SMS messages: Remember that fraudsters can ‘spoof’ an email address to make it look like one used by someone you trust. If you are unsure, check the email header to identify the true source of communication (you can find out how by searching the internet for relevant advice for your email provider).
  • Do not enable macros in downloads; enabling macros will allow Trojan/malware to be installed onto your device.
  • Always install software updates as soon as they become available. Whether you are updating the operating system or an application, the update will often include fixes for critical security vulnerabilities.
  • Create regular backups of your important files to an external hard drive, memory stick or online storage provider. It is important that the device you back up to is not connected to your computer as any malware infection could spread to that as well.
  • If you think your bank details have been compromised, you should contact your bank immediately.

Click here to download the March OurWatch newsletter

Burglary at home in Sabin Close, Long Itchington

Please be aware that between 12.30 and 4.45pm on 27 March, offenders entered the rear garden of a home in Sabin Close, Long Itchington and then removed the rear double glazed door.

Once inside the house, the offenders carried out a search of the whole house and entered the garage to interfere with a car which was parked inside.  The offenders made off with items of jewellery and the keys to a large caravan.

Read more

Burglaries at homes in Grange Farm Drive & Tuckwell Close, Stockton

Please be aware of the following incidents, which have occurred at homes in Stockton over recent days:

Incident 385 of 27 March – Between 2.30 and 5pm on 27 March, 3 male offenders, wearing balaclavas, attempted to force their way into a home in Grange Farm Drive, Stockton.  The offenders failed to get inside the house but damage was caused to the wooden door frame and lock.

The offenders were then disturbed and are believed to have made off in a silver Ford Focus vehicle with a partial registration of possibly CU70 M*K.

Incident 366 of 27 March – Between 11am and 6.20pm on 27 March, offenders forced open a rear ground floor window at a home in Tuckwell Close, Stockton and entered the house.  Once inside, the offenders carried out an untidy search of the whole house before making off with numerous items.

Read more

Burglary at home in Napton, Southam

Please be aware that 9.45 and 10.10pm on 17 March, offenders entered a new home building site in Napton and then forced the locks off a metal shipping container.

The offenders stole several items from inside the container before being chased off by a nearby resident.

The offenders left the scene in a cream/ white coloured Land Rover.

Read more

Crime & Police News Feb 2017

Here you will find police and Trading Standards messages relevant to Napton:

Here is the link to the latest National Neighbourhood Watch News:

http://www.ourwatch.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Our-News-Feb-17.pdf

Give burglary a W-I-D-E berth

W = Window locks – fit operated window locks to all downstairs windows, windows that can’t be seen from the street, and easily accessible upstairs windows. Locks should conform to BS7950 or EU equivalent.

I = Internal Lights – table/standard lamps can be placed on timer switches in different rooms around the house – this gives the impression the house is occupied.

D = Door locks & bolts – external doors should be fitted with good quality locks which comply with BS3621 or EU equivalent. Remember to use them!

E = External lights/sensors – external lights can be fitted with sensors. Dusk to dawn lights with low energy bulbs can be effective as a deterrent. Use at the front & rear of your home.

Beware of counterfeit £5 notes – some new five pound notes are being counterfeited. Here are five ways to make sure your £5 note is genuine ::-

1/ Check the see-through window and portrait of Queen Elizabeth

2/ Check that Big Ben is gold on the front of the note, and silver on the back

3/ Ensure that the foil patch at the base changes from ‘Five’ to ‘Pounds’ as you tilt it

4/ Check that the crown appears to be 3D when you wiggle the note

5/ Check that the green foil patch on the back contains the word ‘Blenheim’

Incident 54 of 27 February – Napton:  At some point before 9.30am on 27 February, offenders broke into a rural business premises in Brickyard Road, Napton through a ground floor window.  Once inside the building, the offenders opened two safe boxes and removed keys to the remainder of the building. 

The offenders then entered the internal part of the building and stole a camera and other items before causing damage by spray painting offensive words on doors with a dye.  The offenders then made off taking all keys and padlocks with them.

Theft of Trailer from Farm Yard, Napton Road, Stockton

  • Incident number: 326 of 21 February
  • Date: 21/02/2017

Please be aware that
beween the hours of 15:30 and 16:30 on 21 February, offenders entered the yard of a farm premises in Napton Road, Stockton and stole an  Ifor Williams trailer.

Vehicle crime, Glebe Close, Stockton

  • Incident number: 55 of 22 February
  • Date: 21/02/2017 – 22/02/2017

Please be aware that during the night of 21 into 22 February, offenders broke into a Nissan vehicle parked on the driveway of a home in Glebe Close, Stockton.  Damage was caused to the vehicle and a Makita drill and socket set were stolen from inside, along with a chest full of other tools.

Burglary at rural business premises in Station Road, Southam

Burglary, Station Road, Southam

  • Incident number: 90 of 7 February
  • Date: 03/02/2017 – 04/02/2017

Please be aware that during the night of 3 into 4 February, offenders entered the yard of a rural business premises in Station Road, Southam  and gained access to several barns and outbuildings.

The offenders entered an insecure barn and stole 3 fuel cans and a length of hose before walking to two vehicles in a nearby field and syphoning off a quantity of diesel.

The offenders then attacked another vehicle at the premises before making off.

Burglary at home in Scowcroft Drive, Bishops Itchington

Please be aware that at just before 7pm on 7 February, two offenders entered the rear garden of a home in Scowcroft Drive, Bishops Itchington and then forced open the rear UPVC door to the house with a flat bladed instrument.

Once inside the house, the offenders carried out a tidy search of two bedrooms before being disturbed by the resident of the house who told them to leave the property.

One offender replied that he wanted to go into the kitchen and was told to leave as the resident was calling Police.

Both offenders left on foot.  It was later discovered that a quantity of cash had been stolen.

Burglary at home in Leigh Crescent, Long Itchington

Please be aware that between 6.45 and 7.20pm on 7 February, neighbours at a home in Leigh Crescent, Long Itchington noticed movement around a neighbouring home.

The witnesses went to investigate and called Police whilst standing near to the property.

Three males then left the house through the front door and threatened the neighbours and chased one of them a short distance before making off in a vehicle which was parked nearby, possibly a dark Audi A3.

On investigation, it was discovered that the offenders had forced open the front door and carried out an untidy search of a bedroom before making off after being disturbed by the neighbours.  It is not clear if anything was stolen.

Cyber Scams

Warwickshire County Council have produced some top tips for avoiding cyber scams this spring. Check out the links below for ideas and sites to avoid

Cyber scams_pg1 Cyber scams_pg2

 

Crime & Police News January 2017

Here you will find police SNT newsletters, crime news and cyber warnings for our area:

Read the January edition of the national Neighbourhood Watch here

Approved trader scheme partnershipworried about rogue traders? WTS has entered into a new partnership with ‘No Rogue Traders Here’ – an approved trader scheme with a difference, putting consumers in touch with traders who have been fully vetted. All traders are ::

  • Approved by Trading Standards
  • Bankruptcy and identity checked
  • Home and business addresses verified
  • Licences and insurance verified
  • Monitored on both quality & price
  • Interviewed before being admitted to the scheme

‘No Rogue Traders Here’ vetted traders include: builders, roofers, plumbers, double glazing, central heating & boilers, electricians, carpenters, decorators, bathrooms, kitchens, and driveways. They also have handymen who will carry out small jobs.

To find out more and to register, please visit: No Rogue Traders Here or phone 0800 233 5000.

Co-op Robbery, Long Itchington

Police are investigating a report of an armed robbery at the Heart of England Co-op on Church Road, Long Itchington, last night.



It is reported that at around 9.07pm a man entered the shop and threatened staff with a firearm, ordering them to open the till. The man left the shop with a quantity of cash.

The man is described as being around 6 foot tall and wearing a black hooded top, a black face covering, a black woolly hat, blue jeans, black shoes and black leather gloves.



If anyone witnessed the incident or has information that could help police with their investigation they should call 101 and quote incident 316 of 15 January 2017.

Alternatively, information can be provided anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org

Police are asking for members of the public to be vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour in or around these types of premises to police immediately.

Staff at late night petrol stations or convenience stores are asked to be equally vigilant. Police will be conducting additional patrols specifically targeting these types of premises.

Warning to Audi owners across Warwickshire

Please be aware that over recent days, there have been several burglaries across Warwickshire where the thieves have targeted houses where there are new Audi vehicles visible.

The offenders have broken into the house and searched for the keys to the vehicles.

Police advice is the keep the keys to Audi, and other high powered vehicles, out of sight but to leave them downstairs so that the thieves have no reason to go upstairs where residents may be sleeping.

Audi owners are also advised to give consideration to increasing the security measures on their vehicles with trackers and vehicle immobilisers. 

Read more

January Cyber Scam Newsletterclick here to download

New Scams that has been brought to our attention –

16/01/2017 ?Migrant Helpline? exposing computer users to Ramnit malware

Scammers are reported to be sending out bogus emails that purport to come from a genuine charity called Migrant Helpline, to trick computer users in to downloading Ramnit, a type of malware designed to steal personal and corporate banking details.


The email address sending most of the bogus emails is noreply@yeshivadonations.com, but this may change. The email itself it titled ?Thank you for choosing to donate to Migrant helpline? and makes reference to a donation of £196.  It invites recipients who wish to query the donation (because they haven’t made one) to click on a link in the email. At this point the malware is downloaded on to the recipient’s computer.
This fraud is in no way related to the genuine charity.


This and many other phishing emails are being sent out with the sole purpose of encouraging users to click on a link, leading to a malware download.

Beware of any unusual emails you might receive and delete them without opening them, clicking on any link they might contain or downloading any attachments.

Even emails that appear to come from businesses or people you know or trust should be treated with caution. The email addresses of your family and friends or businesses you trade with could have been spoofed (or forged)!

If you receive an email from a business you buy goods or services from or a bank or utility company, never follow any links in their emails. Instead, always visit the company’s website by typing their web address into your browser.


When choosing a web mail account (such as gmail or Hotmail) make sure it offers spam/junk mail filtering and keep this feature turned on.

Most internet security packages also include spam/junk mail blocking. Ensure that the one you use is up to date and switched on.



13/01/2017 More threatening ?HMRC? scam phone calls!

Warwickshire consumers are continuing to report threatening bogus phone calls from scammers claiming to be HMRC.

The recorded phone calls falsely claim that HMRC have filed a lawsuit against them and request that they press 1 to speak to a call handler or the Police.


People who have responded have reported being asked for their National Insurance Number and other personal details, suggesting that this is an organised attempt to steal personal and financial information for the purposes of identity theft and other criminal activity.

This phone scam, along with a number of others appear to be use phone numbers beginning with the Manchester prefix 0161.


Residents are advised to put the phone down immediately on receiving a call of this nature. Never follow any instructions given or reveal any personal or financial information.



10/01/2016 Bogus PPI claim scams

Warwickshire residents are warned to beware of scam phone calls from people arranging delivery of bogus PPI awards.

A Warwick district resident reported receiving a telephone call from someone who claimed to be arranging the couriering of a £3750 PPI award payment to his home.

The resident was asked to hand over a fee of £375 in iTunes vouchers when the courier arrived. The caller knew both the resident’s name and address.

This scam can involve the handing over of forged or stolen cheques in return for the iTunes voucher. In many cases, the courier may simply just try to obtain the voucher’s serial number and not hand over anything.


The perpetrators of the scam only need the voucher serial number to redeem it, they don’t need the physical card. Therefore, the serial number can be passed on to criminal gangs operating abroad.
The phone calls are often made from call centres in the Far East, even though the callers use English sounding names.

Never pay for any goods or services using iTunes vouchers.



06/01/2017 Fake Amazon email warning

Action Fraud has received several reports from victims who have been sent convincing looking emails claiming to be from Amazon.

The spoofed emails from ?service@amazon.co.uk? claim recipients have made an order online and mimic an automatic customer email notification.
The scam email claims recipients have ordered an expensive vintage chandelier.

Other reported examples include: Bose stereos, iPhone?s and luxury watches.

The emails cleverly state that if recipients haven?t authorised the transaction they can click on the help centre link to receive a full refund. The link leads to an authentic-looking website, which asks victims to confirm their name, address, and bank card information.


Amazon says that suspicious e-mails will often contain:

?Links to websites that look like Amazon.co.uk, but aren’t Amazon.co.uk.

?Attachments or prompts to install software on your computer.

?Typos or grammatical errors.


?Forged (or spoofed) e-mail addresses to make it look like the e-mail is coming from Amazon.co.uk.



Amazon will never ask for personal information to be supplied by e-mail.
You can read more about identifying suspicious emails claiming to be from Amazon by visiting
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201489210

05/01/2017 Boiler calls warning

Warwickshire residents are warned to beware of persistent and unwanted phone calls from people claiming to be offering free boilers for householders on benefits.

Consumers are warned that these calls may be being made by people who actually want to sell you overpriced boiler cover or a boiler at a ‘discount’ which may not save you money at all!


Never agree to purchase goods or services from cold callers, or arrange for those callers to visit your home. It can be hard to tell a good trader from a bad one on the doorstep! If you are looking for a new boiler, consider using local businesses and where possible go on recommendation.


Some householders on certain benefits may qualify for free boiler grants funded by energy companies as part of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO). To find out if you can benefit from ECO funding, please contact the Energy Saving Advice Service (0300 123 1234)


Make a scam/rogue trader complaint to Trading Standards via Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 03454 040506.

The SCAM regards an email telling the receiver that they are being summonsed for a speeding violation as the person would see confirmed in the attached speed camera picture.  BUT click on the picture and the SCAMMER totally takes over your computer unless you pay them a fee.

Action Fraud has received several reports from victims who have been sent convincing looking emails claiming to be from Amazon. The spoofed emails from “service@amazon.co.uk” claim recipients have made an order online and mimic an automatic customer email notification.  
The scam email claims recipients have ordered an expensive vintage chandelier. Other reported examples include: Bose stereos, iPhone’s and luxury watches. 

The emails cleverly state that if recipients haven’t authorised the transaction they can click on the help centre link to receive a full refund. The link leads to an authentic-looking website, which asks victims to confirm their name, address, and bank card information.

Amazon says that suspicious e-mails will often contain:

  • Links to websites that look like Amazon.co.uk, but aren’t Amazon.co.uk.
  • Attachments or prompts to install software on your computer.
  • Typos or grammatical errors.
  • Forged (or spoofed) e-mail addresses to make it look like the e-mail is coming from Amazon.co.uk.


Amazon will never ask for personal information to be supplied by e-mail.
You can read more about identifying suspicious emails claiming to be from Amazon by visiting https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201489210

 

Crime & Police News Nov / Dec 2016

Police News and Crime Reports for November/December will be here.

For the November National NHW News please click here

For the November Southam SNT Police Newsletter please click here.

For the December Southam SNT Police Newsletter please click here

For the November Trading Standards summary please click here.

Burglary at outbuilding at home in Vicarage Road, Napton

Burglary, Vicarage Road

Incident number: 130 of 3 December

Date: 01/12/2016 – 03/12/2016

Please be aware that between 3pm on 1/12 and 10am on 3/12, offenders entered the rear garden of a home in Vicarage Road, Napton and then forced the hasp and padlock off the door of a wooden outbuilding.

Once inside the building, the offenders stole a chainsaw.

If you have information that you believe may be connection to this incident, please contact the Police on 101, quoting the incident number given.

Please remain vigilant around your area and report suspicious persons, vehicles or activity to the Police on 101. Thank you.

Information can also be given anonymously to the Independent Charity, Crimestoppers, by calling 0800 555 111 or by visiting their website: www.crimestoppers-uk.org.

A message from Thames Valley Police.

Drivers using motorway services stations, particularly those along the M4 in Berkshire, are being warned that thieves could be using technology to prevent people locking their vehicles and then steal from them.
Thames Valley Police officers are warning people to make a manual check that doors are locked before leaving their vehicles.
This advice follows a spate of 14 thefts from vehicles at motorway services in Berkshire. In many of the cases there was no obvious sign of a break in and no damage was caused to the vehicles as items were stolen from them.
Officers are also appealing for anyone who visited the services during the dates outlined below and have any dashcam footage to please get in touch as they may have vital information for the investigations.
At Chieveley Moto Services on M4 at junction 13 between 24 November and 1 December two vans, two lorries and a Mercedes car were entered and items including tools, a suitcase and laptop were taken.
At Reading Moto Services M4 junctions 11-12 between 26 November and 28 November two Range Rovers, a Jaguar, a Mercedes and a Fiat 500 were all accessed by unknown means, ie no obvious sign of a break-in, and various pieces of luggage were stolen from the vehicles.
At Membury Welcome Break M4 at junctions 14 -15 between 24 November and 26 November two Land Rovers, a Mercedes and a Renault were accessed by unknown means. Luggage, wallets and cash were stolen.
Investigating officer, Sgt Alan Hawkett of Newbury Police Station said: “I strongly recommend that any members of the public visiting motorway services stations anywhere in the country keep all valuable items in their possession when away from their vehicle. Offenders may be using technology to prevent your vehicle from locking therefore we would advise a manual check of the doors before leaving your vehicle.
“I am appealing to the public who use in car dash cameras who may have been at any of the above service stations on the above dates and times to contact me. You may have captured an offence or offender on camera. I am extremely keen to review the footage.”
Anyone with any information or dashcam footage relevant to these incidents is asked to call 101 using ref 409 27/11/2016 or email
alan.hawkett@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk

Police & Crime Commissioner December Newsletter

Police & Crime Commissioner Newsletter – December 2016

A bumper update this month reflecting a particular busy period. In this newsletter, the Commissioner gives information of the launch of his Police and Crime Plan for Warwickshire; his selection by the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners as the national lead for emergency services collaboration; as well as the start of work on a new Operations Communications Centre for Warwickshire.

 He also details the launch of the Wildlife Watchers scheme, the award of contracts to support domestic abuse victims and the re-opening of his Commissioner’s Grants Scheme for new funding bids for 2017/18.

 Also, in the run-up to Christmas, there’s also a plea for help in supporting fundraising for Alexander’s Journey, a charity established to help the seriously ill son of a Warwickshire police officer.

Read the newsletter >>

Read more

Warwickshire Trading Standards Scam Alert

30/11/2016 Model Agency Warning

Warwickshire residents are warned to beware of ‘model agencies’ that take huge fees for portfolios of photographs and promise modelling contracts that never materialise. One Warwickshire resident reported paying almost £800 after attending a ‘photo-shoot’. She was given assurances that a modelling contract would be forthcoming and paid almost £800 for a portfolio of photographs. However, no contract was offered.

Rogue modelling agencies have little or no links to the genuine modelling industry. They show a great deal of interest in a new client and often makes promises that a contract will be forthcoming in order to get the client to pay hundreds of pounds for a portfolio of photographs, often worth very little.

30/11/2016 ?Nottingham Knockers? operating in South Warwickshire

Warwickshire Trading Standards has received reports from Warwickshire Police that groups of so called ‘Nottingham Knockers’ have been operating in the South Warwickshire area in the past few days. These doorstep callers offer small household products for sale which may be of poor quality and pressure homeowners in to buying by falsely claiming to be ex-convicts on probation schemes.

Warwickshire Trading Standards advise householders not to buy at the door from unexpected doorstep traders. If in doubt, keep your door closed.

01/12/2016 Facebook sellers warning

Warwickshire consumers are warned to be wary of purchasing goods from Facebook sellers where payment is asked for via a direct a bank transfer.

One consumer reported buying a phone from someone advertising via Facebook. The buyer and seller communicated using messenger. However, after the payment was made , the seller blocked the buyer and deleted their chat communication. The phone was not delivered.

Buyers should consider paying in cash and avoid wherever possible bank transfers.

01/12/2016 Government ?money? overpayment scam

Warwickshire residents have reported receiving phone calls to say that they were shortly to receive a cheque from the Government for money that they had overpaid. The callers then go on to try and obtain bank details and other personal and financial information.

Residents are warned never to reveal any personal or financial information to cold callers. This information can be used for identity theft and other crimes.

Make a scam/rogue trader complaint to Trading Standards via Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 03454 040506.

Warwickshire Trading Standards Website Facebook Twitter

Sign up to scam alerts at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/scams

The November 2016 newsletter for Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe has just been published.

This month, the Commissioner thanks everyone who gave feedback on the draft Police and Crime Plan and gives his reaction to the latest HMIC report on police efficiency.

He also provides updates on Operation Protect; the launch of the regional cybercrime survey; a call to reduce drink-drive limits in England and Wales; and the latest data on child arrests.

 Plus, there’s news on a decision to re-appoint the independent Trust, Integrity and Ethics Committee.

Read the ne?wsletter >>

Bogus summons Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) emails

You’ve Been Summoned!

Fraudsters are sending out a wave of scam emails purporting to be from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) that claim you have to appear in court.

Concerned members of the public have reported receiving the email entitled ?You?ve been witness summoned to court?.
The email entices people to click on a link to view their start time/case details.

This link is likely to lead to malware.
This email has no connection to the CPS and anyone receiving the email should not download any attachments or click on any links.

Make a scam/rogue trader complaint to Trading Standards via Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 03454 040506.

Mobile Phone Enforcement Campaign – November 2016

To support our on-going commitment to road casualty reduction, Warwickshire Police and West Mercia Police launched a targeted mobile phone enforcement and education campaign on 1 November 2016, to crack down on blatant offenders who continue to flout the law.

The campaign will run throughout the month and will support the National Police Chiefs Council week of action, which is taking place 14 – 20 November, and will lead straight into the national drink and drug drive enforcement campaign in December.

Please ring 1010 if you wish to report an incident to Police or, 999 in an emergency.

 

Fearless.org – crime reporting anonymity for young adults

We would like to bring to your attention a new website, aimed at young adults.   https://www.fearless.org/

It is run along side The Independent Charity Crimestoppers.

The website says – “Fearless is a site where you can access non-judgemental information and advice about crime and criminality. What makes this site different is we also provide you with a safe place to give information to us about crime – 100% anonymously”

Crime & Police News Sept-Oct 2016

Click here for the September Police Newsletter, published 22 September

New Police Commissioner Philip Seccombe unveils his draft Crime Plan for comments, read here.

Crime alerts:

Theft from vehicle parked in Hillside, Napton

Please be aware that during the night of 20 into 21 October, offenders stole the spare wheel from underneath a Land Rover vehicle parked on the driveway of a home in Hillside, Napton.

Crime Alert – 14th October 2016

Southam Road burglaries – overnight 13/14 October several properties in Southam Road suffered garage and shed break-ins. Many items were stolen. Please contact the Police on 101 if you have any information which may help them to solve these crimes.

To reduce outbuilding crimes, please ensure that all garages and sheds are effectively secured.

 

Napton on the Hill :: Neighbourhood Watch

Crime Alert :: 27th September 2016 will be letter boxed throughout the village

At 12.20 pm on Tuesday afternoon 27th September two men in a grey Mitsubishi L200 pick-up cut through the security lock on a shed in Godson’s Lane.  There were two other incidents in Napton that morning thought to be from the same vehicle.  They were disturbed and drove off down Godson’s Lane towards St. Lawrence Close and Dog Lane.  The police attended. The registration number BG56 HLN on the pickup was cloned as the Police swiftly found the true owner.

 

Please keep alert. There has been an increase in this kind of crime throughout the area, especially through the day.

Please report immediately any suspicious activity to the Police on 101 or 999 in emergency.

Keep up to date by visiting our website https://www.naptonparishcouncil.org.uk/neighbourhood-watch/

Click here for the October Scam Newsletter and see below for more scams

Latest Scam Alerts from Warwickshire Trading Standards


20/10/2016 Used car deposit warning

Buying a used car?

Warwickshire Trading Standards are warning consumers to think twice before paying deposits to hold vehicles they are interested in buying.

Trading Standards has received an increasing number if complaints from car buyers who paid ‘holding deposits’ for vehicles which were then either sold to someone else before they could view it, or the vehicle was markedly different to the advert.

In both cases they should have received their deposit back, but did not.



20/10/2016 False vehicle registration warning to internet car buyers



Purchasers of second hand cars advertised on websites are warned to beware of a new scam involving the use of false vehicle registration numbers.


Consumers can now find a lot about the car they are interested in buying by putting the vehicle’s registration number in to a free Government website, including information on a vehicle’s mileage and condition.

This has led some unscrupulous sellers of dodgy vehicles to remove or obscure the licence plate of the cars they are selling on photographs posted on the Internet.


One Warwickshire resident expressed an interest in a vehicle that was being sold on a popular Internet classified advert website. The vehicle was shown without the number plates visible, so the buyer contacted the seller to ask for the registration number.

The seller supplied him with a registration number and the buyer carried out a range of free and low cost checks on the vehicle. Satisfied with the result he then paid for the vehicle online and went to collect the car. When he arrived it turned out the the seller had given him a registration number for another vehicle of the same make/model, but not the one he had purchased. This car, the one he had paid for, was in a very poor condition with a high mileage!


Trading Standards advise consumers to be wary of purchasing vehicles without seeing them first and be suspicious of any advert where the licence plate of the vehicle cannot be seen affixed to the vehicle.

The new ‘check before you buy’ free web tools are now an important weapon in a car buyer’s armoury to protect them against buying vehicles in a poor state that may be clocked or even unroadworthy.

Some additional low cost checks can also help ensure that the car is not stolen or on finance.



20/10/2016 Door to door cavity wall warning



Warwickshire residents are warned to beware of unexpected doorstep callers offering ‘free, Government funded’ cavity wall insulation and other energy efficiency measures.


Trading Standards are concerned that some unscrupulous traders may be using the offer of ‘free’ insulation to convince homeowners to sign up to energy efficiency measures that may not be appropriate for their property and may end up costing them money.


Funding for energy saving measures may be available to some residents if they are on certain benefits and own or privately rent their home, often via their energy supplier.

The Government has posted information on energy saving improvements and eligibility criteria on its website. Consumers can also phone the Energy Saving Advice Service on 0300 123 1234 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm).


It can be very difficult to tell a good trader from a bad one on the doorstep. Trading Standards urges homeowners not to be seduced by the offer of something free on the doorstep. Residents should instead speak to the Energy Saving Advice Service to get the facts.



It can be difficult telling a good trader from a bad one on the doorstep – never buy goods or services from unexpected callers!


?Make a scam/rogue trader complaint to Trading Standards via Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 03454 040506.


?Warwickshire Trading Standards Website Facebook Twitter


?Sign up to scam alerts at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/scams

Bogus HMRC phone calls targeting older people – more reports have been received about the current HMRC scam. A recorded telephone call, allegedly from HM Revenue and Customs, states that HMRC are bringing a lawsuit against the recipient of the phone call and will be suing them. The recipient is asked to phone an 0161 number and press ?1? to speak to the officer dealing with the case. Some victims of the scam have reported being asked to pay a fine using an iTunes gift card. This scam is becoming widely reported and seems to be targeting older people. Please do not reply to the message.
Postcode scam telephone call – a resident reported receiving three unexpected phone calls from someone claiming to be calling to check their postcode. Never provide any personal or financial information to unexpected callers. Fraudsters gather information which can then be used to commit crime, including identity theft.
Bogus charity collectors – in Rugby a man has been going from business to business claiming to be from Warwickshire County Council, collecting money for a lung cancer charity. He was on foot and carrying a bag with money it. Warwickshire County Council are unaware of any such collection and warn businesses to be on their guard.
TV Licensing fraud – fraudsters have been issuing fake TV Licence refund emails in a bid to steal victims’ bank account details. The scam email claims to offer a refund for overpayments of TV Licence fees, but states that the victim’s bank details are needed to be updated before the refund can be issued. The email then links to a website designed to look like TV Licensing’s own website with a form for victims to enter their details. Please delete any such rogue emails.

Vehicle crime in Ford Farm, Pendicke Street & Newstead Drive, Southam

Please be aware of the following incidents, which have occurred in your area over recent days:

Incident 285 of 30 September – At around 5pm on 30 September a male offender climbed in to a VW Transport van, which was being loaded, with the keys in the ignition, at Ford Farm, Southam and then sped off in it.

Incident 314 of 30 September – Between 8am and 4.40pm on 30 September, offenders stole tools from a Mercedes van parked in Pendicke Street, Southam 

Incident 92 of 1 October – Between 4.30 and 4.45pm on 1 October, offenders broke into an insecure van parked outside a home in Newstead Drove, Southam and stole a Makita grinder and a Stihl saw.

Incidents at homes in Stockton & Napton

Please be aware of the following incidents, which have occurred at homes in your area over recent days:

Incident 50 of 28 September – At just before 7am on 28 September, offenders broke into a van parked outside a home in Victoria Terrace, Stockton and stole a large quantity of power tools from inside.

Incident 218 of 23 September – At some point before 1pm on 23 September, offenders attempted to get inside vans parked on the driveway of a home in Southam Road, Napton.  The offenders may also have tried to break into the house.

Incident 44 of 26 September – During the night of 44 of 26 September, offenders entered a van parked at a farm premises in Napton and rifled through a van.

Incident 166 of 27 September – Between 10.20am and 12.30pm on 27 September, offenders cut the padlocks on the wooden doors of a garage at a cottage home in Chapel Green, Napton  and entered the premises. Once inside, the offenders stole a single axle Ifor Williams trailer, 3 Stihl chainsaws, a Stihl hedge trimmer and a red Honda generator

Burglary at home in Dog Lane, Fenny Compton

Please be aware that at around12.10pm on 21 September, offenders moved a wheelie bin from outside of the garage door of a home in Dog Lane, Fenny Compton and then entered the insecure garage.

The offenders are believed to have been disturbed by the family dog barking and the resident of the house switching on the lights, as they quickly made off.  Nothing appears to have been stolen.

Car Thefts On The Rise: Why Do 43% Of British Drivers Leave Their Car Keys With People They Do Not Know?

Vehicle thefts are on the rise for the first time in years yet 40% of motorists gladly hand over the keys to their car to people they do not know.

Car owners do not appear to think twice about leaving their vehicle with a stranger, with few bothering to check whether the valet company or car washing team, for example, is a member of an accredited body.

Key cloning scams are on the rise, experts are warning, with new technologies being developed to copy keyless entry systems. As vehicle security has become more sophisticated, so the level of car theft has fallen year on year, from a peak of 620,000 20 years ago to just below 80,000 now .

However, vehicle thefts rose by 8% in the year to March this year – prompting fresh warnings from the motor industry and police that thieves are also becoming ever more sophisticated in their efforts to beat beefed up security.

More at: https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/car-thefts-on-the-rise-you-wouldnt-give-your-104128295.html

Hate Crime: Please report it!

We all have a responsibility to stand up to hate crime.

If you have been a victim of hate crime, if you know of someone who has been a victim of hate crime or if you witness a hate crime, you should report it.

You don?t need to know the victim or even know their name.
The person may not realise they have been a victim of hate crime, they may be too scared to report it or they may not know how to report it.

If you think the incident is a hate crime, even if the victim doesn?t, then it will be logged and responded to as a hate crime.

What is a hate crime?

A hate crime is any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim or any other person to be motivated by a hostility
or prejudice based on a person?s:

? Race (including nationality, national origin, ethnic origin, race and colour).


? Religion or belief
? Sexual orientation

? Disability

? Gender identity

? Individual characteristic that makes someone appear different.

How do I report a hate crime?

 You can report a crime in confidence in any of the following ways:

? In an emergency call 999

? For non-emergencies call 101

? Report online to True Vision at www.report-it.org.uk

 

Crime & Police News September 2016

Click here for the August SNT Police Crime Newsletter, the Police apologise for the late arrival of this newsletter.

Theft of vehicle from Church Road, Long Itchington

Please be aware that at just before 6pm on 20 September, the driver of a Mitsubishi vehicle was working outside a home in Church Road, Long Itchington and had left the keys to the vehicle on a nearby external windowsill.

An offender stole the keys from the windowsill and used them to drive the vehicle away, heading towards Leamington.  The offender in the Mitsubishi was joined by a Peugeot vehicle with the partial registration of WV03 ???, which was parked around the corner, and they drove off together.

Scam alert – Bogus HMRC phone calls

13/09/2016 More bogus HMRC phone calls

– targeting older people

 

More reports have been received about the current HMRC scam. A recorded telephone call, allegedly from HM Revenue and Customs, states that HMRC are bringing a lawsuit against the recipient of the phone call and will be suing them.

The recipient is asked to phone an 0161 number and press ?1? to speak to the officer dealing with the case. Some victims of the scam have reported being asked to pay a fine using an iTunes gift card.

This scam is becoming widely reported and seems to be targeting older people. Please do not reply to the message.

Make a scam/rogue trader complaint to Trading Standards via Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 03454 040506.

 

08/09/2016 Door to door rogue fish seller warning

Stratford upon Avon and South Warwickshire residents are warned to beware of rogue traders selling fish and shellfish door to door in the local area.

Reports have been received that the sellers were using high pressure/aggressive selling techniques. These are not local traders with regular rounds. These fish sellers load up often un-refrigerated vans with fish from ports many miles away before driving them to other areas to sell.

The experience of Trading Standards is that fish sold in this way by rogue doorstep sellers is often misdescribed (cheaper fish sold as more expensive species) overpriced and not properly weighed, leaving consumers to pay over the odds. The fish may not even be edible.

09/09/2016 Art investment scam warning

A Warwickshire resident reported receiving an unexpected phone call from someone claiming to work for the investment arm of a well known insurance company. The caller offered the resident an ‘opportunity’ to invest in a fund based on an artwork auction sale.

The caller claimed that an investment of £2000 would yield a profit of between £700 and £900 within a couple of months!

NEVER respond to cold calls offering investment opportunities, even if you believe the call is genuine and to your advantage, (in which case take appropriate independent financial advice before phoning the business back on a publicly listed telephone number).

NEVER reveal any personal or financial information to cold callers.

REMEMBER, art, land banks, rare earth metals, fine wine and similar investments are likely to be unregulated and potentially high risk investments. They may also be scams. If something goes wrong you could lose all you money!

The Financial Conduct Authority has a range of information in its website about common investment scams. It also has a list of firms to avoid.

Warwickshire Ebay sellers targeted by fraudsters

Warwickshire Trading Standards has received a number of complaints from sellers on Ebay that they have become victims of fraud.

In one case an Ebay seller was advertising sports equipment. The equipment was purchased and paid for using PayPal. They were then collected in person by the buyer. Some time later the seller then received an email from PayPal stating that a chargeback was being made and the payment for the equipment was being removed from their (the sellers) account.

The reason given by PayPal was that the buyer had claimed they had not received the goods, despite having collected them and telling the seller that he was happy with his purchase. To further cover his tracks, the purchaser had claimed that he was experiencing problems with his Paypal account.

This is an example of chargeback fraud. Fraudsters purchase goods on Ebay and other auction websites and pay using PayPal. As soon as they have received the goods they claim they were never sent and seek to get their money back via a Paypal chargeback, leaving the seller without his/her goods and payment.

Sellers can help protect themselves by shipping to a confirmed address using a trackable service. Fraudsters will seek to target sellers who send their goods via untracked services or try to collect the goods in person.

Sellers are strongly advised to send high value items via recorded delivery. If the buyer is collecting the goods, consider asking for payment in cash on collection. Sellers should also scrutinise the buyer’s feedback carefully, to see if there is any previous evidence of chargeback activity, especially before sending high value items.

12/09/2016 Money mule warning to new and returning students

Students are warned to beware of criminal gangs targeting them to become money mules. Money mules are recruited to launder money obtained illegally.

Money laundering is a criminal offence and can lead to prosecution and a custodial sentence. Research conducted by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) has identified a number of bank accounts that are operated by ?money mules? and are being used for the purposes of laundering illegitimate money.

It is understood that students are being recruited, sometimes unwittingly, as ?mules? by criminals to transfer illegally obtained money between different bank accounts.

What is a money mule?

A money mule is someone who is recruited by those needing to launder money obtained illegally. Criminals advertise fake jobs in newspapers and on the internet, in a number of ways; usually offering opportunities to make money quickly, in order to lure potential money mule recruits.

These include: – Social media posts – Copying genuine company?s websites to create impression of legitimacy – Sending mass emails offering employment – Targeting individuals that have posted their CVs on employment websites

Students are particularly susceptible to adverts of this nature. For someone in full-time education, the opportunity for making money quickly can understandably be an attractive one. The mule will accept money into their bank account, before following further instructions on what to do with the funds. Instructions could include transferring the money into a separate specified account or withdrawing the cash and forwarding it on via money transfer service companies like Western Union or MoneyGram.

The mule is generally paid a small percentage of the funds as they pass through their account.

Money Laundering is a criminal offence which can lead to prosecution and a custodial sentence. Furthermore, it can lead to the mule being unable to obtain credit in the UK and prevented from holding a bank account.

PROTECTION / PREVENTION ADVICE

  • Be aware that the offence of money laundering carries a maximum prison sentence, in the UK, of 14 years.
  • Never give the details of your bank account to anyone that you do not trust. No legitimate company will ever ask you to use your own bank account to transfer their money.
  • Don?t accept any job offers that ask you to do this.
  • Be wary of unsolicited emails or social media posts promising ways of earning easy money. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
  • Don?t be afraid to question the legitimacy of any businesses that make you a job offer, especially if the recruitment procedure strays from the conventional.

05/09/2016 Student rental scam warning

Students looking for rental accommodation are warned to beware fraudulent landlords. Fraudsters use a variety of websites to advertise available properties to rent, often at attractive rates and convenient locations.

Adverts will seem genuine, accompanied by a number of photos and contact information to discuss your interest.

Due to demand, students will often agree to pay upfront fees to secure the property quickly, without viewing the property, only to discover that the fraudster posing as the landlord does not have ownership of the property, or often there are already tenants living there.

  • Protect Yourself: Only use reputable letting companies.
  • Do some online research such as using Google maps to check the property does exist.
  • Make an appointment to view the property in person.
  • Always view the property prior to paying any advance fees.
  • Look out for warning signs, such as landlords requesting a ?holding deposit? due to the property being in high demand.

A landlord will usually conduct some due diligence on any successful applicant. Be wary of handing over cash without the landlord requesting employment or character references.

 

BURGLARY OTHER – CHAPEL GREEN, NAPTON, RUGBY

Police Ref: WK-20160903-0337  Crime Ref: 23S6/30697Q/16

Occurred 6.15pm 03/09/16

Offender(s) have gained entry to an insecure outbuilding and have proceeded to remove a Green Kawasaki Quad bike which was subsequently found near the roadside.  Offender(s) disturbed by IP.