DOES YOUR DRIVEWAY NEED SOME WORK?

Last week a group of ‘earthy’ gentlemen called at a house in East Knoyle. They had, they said, a lorry load of unused tarmac in the back of their lorry which needed to be used or it would ‘go off’. They offered to tarmac the driveway of the house in question at a knock down price. The offer seemed too good to be true. Having carried out their work they asked for £900 and were given a cheque. After they had left it became apparent that the work was highly overpriced.
I would like to draw your attention to an article I ran in the February 2002 bulletin which went like this:

“You may remember in May 1999 there was a report about men visiting the area offering to tarmac driveways with tarmac ‘leftover’ from resurfacing the A303. Several people took them up on their offer and were left with sub standard work with weeds growing through the tarmac within weeks. Sub standard work with a substantial price I might add! Good work from members of the public meant we were alerted when they were in the area and the men were arrested ‘caught in the act’. It is with great pleasure that I can inform you that these men are currently serving time at Her Majesty’s pleasure and on the instructions of the judge have reimbursed those that were taken in by their wicked ploy. Please be aware though that there are others like them out there and that they will not be behind bars forever.”

WHY DO WE INCONVENIENCE YOU?

It’s a hot afternoon, your car doesn’t have air conditioning, you’ve had a bad day and you are late, very late. You round a bend in the road and are met by stationary traffic. Traffic eventually starts moving and a Policeman standing in the road with his car blocking the way directs you off into a side road. Soon this road is also blocked as you meet traffic being diverted the other way. You start to curse the Police and shake your head in response to the people in cars going in the opposite direction who are angrily shaking their heads. By the time you get home you are three hours late, very hot, you’ve had the worst day and we, the Police are entirely to blame. Sound familiar to any of you?
Let’s look at it from the Police point of view – a report comes in of a serious accident involving three cars. The road is blocked and there are serious injuries to some of the occupants. On arrival at the scene it is obvious that at least one person is dead and another is trapped in their car with serious injuries. As paramedics fight for peoples lives at the scene efforts are being made to divert traffic in order to get you on your way as soon as possible. At the scene there are three fire engines, two ambulances, the Air Ambulance and numerous Police cars, everyone is doing the job they were trained for.
After the casualties have been taken by Ambulance the undertakers still haven’t arrived. The Police Crime Support Unit has arrived and photographs are taken of the scene. The traffic departments Accident Investigation Unit has arrived as has the Police vehicle examiner. Accurate measurements of the road layout, positions of vehicles, positions of marks on the road and anything else that might be a factor in the accident are taken by laser accurate measuring devices. The Highways Agency has arrived and has now signed the diversion. The undertaker arrives to take away the body of the person who tragically lost their life. A Police Family Liaison Officer arrives at the scene. It is their job to break the news to the family of the deceased so they want to know as much about what happened as they can. Once all that has taken place the vehicles can be recovered and preserved for forensic examination to see if there were mechanical defects that contributed to the accident. The council are now tasked to clear up the road, engine oil, blood, glass, and bits of car have to be removed, possibly even something more gruesome. After that is done and some 4 or 5 hours after the accident was reported the road is re-opened.

WE DON’T SHUT THE ROAD FOR FUN OR TO ANNOY ANYONE. THE ROAD IS ALWAYS OPENED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. WE DO NOT CARRY DIVERSION SIGNS AND AS SUCH THERE IS ALWAYS A DELAY BEFORE THESE CAN BE PUT OUT. SO NEXT TIME PLEASE BE PATIENT AND UNDERSTANDING.
APART FROM ANYONE ELSE THE RELATIVES OF THOSE INJURED OR KILLED NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED - WE WILL NOT RUSH - IT SIMPLY HAS TO BE DONE PROPERLY.

REPORTED CRIME & ARRESTS IN JULY 2004

TISBURY BEAT
(TISBURY, WARDOUR, HATCH, E HATCH & NEWTOWN)
Beat Officers: PCs Mark Littlewood and Mark Steele

26th Male from Tisbury arrested for causing an affray. During arrest he assaulted a Police Officer. Due to the level of violence used by the male CS gas and Police batons had to be used. (PC Pete Robins)

TISBURY NORTH BEAT
(BERWICK ST. LEONARD, CHICKSGROVE, CHICKLADE, CHILMARK, FONTHILL BISHOP, FONTHILL GIFFORD, FOVANT, HINDON, RIDGE, SUTTON MANDEVILLE & SWALLOWCLIFFE)
Beat Officer: PC Simon Davies & PC Darren Jennings

The following 6 crimes are all believed to have been committed overnight Friday 2nd July / Saturday 3rd July.
Thieves smashed the rear door window of a van parked in Chicklade and stole a leaf blower from within.
Thieves drilled the rear lock of a car parked in Chilmark and stole tools and a mobile phone.
Thieves entered an insecure garage in Chilmark and stole 12 cases of wine from within, using the owner’s wheelbarrow to take it away! Thieves drilled the lock on a car parked in Fonthill Bishop and stole CD player from within. Thieves smashed the window of a car parked in Fonthill Bishop and stole CD player from within.
Thieves entered an insecure garage in Chilmark and stole a quantity of wine and spirits.
All the above offences are being investigated by PC Darren Jennings who would appreciate any help.
Someone must have seen something.
17th Large quantity of cash was stolen from the safe at a garage on the A303 at Chicklade. An employee was arrested and has been interviewed. (PC Simon Davies) 18th Male arrested in Hindon for being drunk and disorderly and causing criminal damage. ( PC Mark Steele) 24th At 2245hrs someone put several tyres filled with petrol soaked paper on the speed camera at Chicklade and attempted to burn the camera unit. They were unsuccessful. (PC Darren Jennings)

TISBURY SOUTH BEAT
(ANSTY, ALVEDISTON, BERWICK ST.JOHN, CHARLTON, THE COOMBES, THE DONHEADS, LUDWELL & TOLLARD ROYAL): Beat Officer PC Graham Briant.

12th Car broken into in Tollard Royal, handbag stolen. (Crime Desk) 13th Set of Golf Clubs stolen from Rushmoor Park golf club. (Crime Desk) 17th Male arrested on suspicion of theft in Ludwell. (PC Graham Briant)
18th Male arrested at The Larmer Tree Festival for being drunk and disorderly and for indecent exposure. (PC Graham Briant)
21st During the day a thief stole an Ifor Williams trailer and an Austin pedal car from a yard in Charlton. (PC Graham Briant)
23rd Female arrested on suspicion of theft in Donhead St. Andrew. (PC Graham Briant) 26th All windows smashed on a recovery lorry parked outside The Rising Sun, Donhead St. Mary in the early hours of the morning. (PC Graham Briant)

MERE BEAT (including BURTON)
Beat Officers: PCs Gary Treherne & Pete Robins.

3rd An attempt was made to enter a garage in Mere overnight. (Crime Desk)
4th Newspapers stolen from outside the paper shop in Mere. Later used to set fire to a bench and bin in the cemetery. (PC Gary Treherne) 4th An attempt was made to steal a garden trampoline from a garden in Mere. (PC Gary Treherne)
17th 5 windows smashed by idiots throwing stones at Duchy Manor School. (PC Pete Robins)
27th Car deliberately damaged in Long Hill, Mere. (Crime Desk)

MERE SOUTH BEAT
(EAST KNOYLE, WEST KNOYLE, SEMLEY, SEDGEHILL & WILLOUGHBY HEDGE)
Beat Officer PC Jerry Wilkins.

14th Between 0845 and 0915hrs thieves stole a Metro car from a driveway in West Knoyle. The car then crashed about half a mile away and the thieves ran off. Enquiries are continuing. (PC Jerry Wilkins)

MERE NORTH BEAT
(GASPER, KILMINGTON, MAIDEN BRADLEY, NORTON FERRIS, STOURTON, WOLVERTON & ZEALS) Beat Officer: PC Steve Porter & PC Martin Faulkner

3rd Car was damaged after an altercation between tow men in Zeals. (PC Martin Faulkner) 5th Male arrested in Zeals for causing criminal damage. (PC Martin Faulkner) 10th Two cars parked in Alfred’s Tower Car Park broken into, coats stolen from both cars.(Crime Desk) 13th Strimmer stolen from the back of a lorry in Maiden Bradley. (Crime Desk) 14th Female from Zeals arrested on suspicion of theft and deception. (PC Martin Faulkner)
18th Car broken into at Alfred’s Tower handbag stolen. (Crime Desk)
29th Overnight car parked in Maiden Bradley entered, wallet and contents stolen. (PC Jerry Wilkins)

If anyone has any information about any of the above listed crimes please give us a ring at Tisbury or Mere. Your help could lead to the apprehension of offenders or the recovery of property. If you would prefer to pass information anonymously (rewards are available) ring CRIMESTOPPERS.

CONTROL ROOM 01722-411444
CRIMESTOPPERS 0800 555 111