SERIES OF BURGLARIES ACROSS SOUTH WILTSHIRE

There have been a number of houses broken into over the last 4 months, mostly in Tisbury and Mere but some in the surrounding villages. Good quality houses have been attacked and the monetary value of the property stolen (usually small items of value) is mounting up. The sentimental value of property stolen is incalculable.
The burglar (or burglars) has always entered by forcing a rear window or door and all the burglaries have happened during daylight hours. It is difficult to narrow it down further as the owners of the house are always either away or at work. A vehicle has been seen in the vicinity of at least one of these burglaries and we are very keen to speak to the occupants.
The vehicle is described as follows;

A SMALL WHITE VAN, NOT NEW BUT CLEAN CONDITION. NOT SIGN WRITTEN. REAR DOORS MAY BE BLANKED OUT (I.E. NO REAR WINDOW).
THE REAR BOX IS SQUARE AND HIGHER THAN THE CAB WHICH IS OF NORMAL CAR SIZE. SIMILAR TO A CITROEN C15, RENAULT EXTRA, OR VW CADDY.

If you see a van as described above in a residential area during the day please take the registration number and ring us immediately on 01380-735735. If you are unsuccessful on that number to avoid any delay please ring '999'.

THESE BURGLARS MUST BE CAUGHT AND IT IS OUR INTENTION TO DO JUST THAT BUT WE NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE IN ORDER TO DO IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

LADIES, YOUR JEWELLERY – WEAR IT OR HIDE IT!

Following on from the above burglary warning I can say that these burglars are particularly interested in stealing jewellery. They seem to know what they are after as they usually steal the ‘good stuff’ and leave the inexpensive jewellery behind. I am willing to bet that most ladies reading this bulletin keep their jewellery in a box on their dressing table. I am right, am I not? If you are going to leave jewellery at home please take the trouble to hide it from a burglar. Not in a drawer, they look in all drawers.
Not in cupboard they check those too. Use your imagination, beat the burglar.

STEADY WITH THOSE FOR SALE SIGNS!

Following on from the two burglary related articles I feel that before you all start putting your houses up for sale I ought to put things into perspective. If you are a regular reader of this bulletin you will see from the crime reported page that crime in this area is very low. It still is very low and the burglaries in the Tisbury and Mere Police area are in single figures even over a five month period. We believe that they may all be linked and as such are very keen to catch the thief. All I ask is that you are a little more vigilant than usual. To coin a phrase from a TV programme of yesteryear “Trust nobody, suspect everyone”.

REPORTED CRIME & ARRESTS IN OCTOBER 2004

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

1st – 10th House in Snows Hill, Tisbury broken into, property stolen. (PC Mark Steele)
31st Overnight some idiot (presumably drunk) removed a garden bench from the front garden of a house in Station Road and put it in the middle of the road. A car then crashed into it completely destroying it; luckily no-one was hurt. (PC Mark Steele)
22nd /23rd Overnight a car parked on a driveway in Cuffs Lane, Tisbury had two tyres slashed. (Crime Desk)

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

1st 1615hrs Male driving a black Audi 100 filled up with petrol at Chicklade Services and left without paying for over £50 worth of fuel (that’s almost a gallon isn’t it?). (PC Darren Jennings)
2nd Male from Berwick St. John arrested on warrant having failed to appear in court. (PC Darren Jennings)
14th /19th Male caused damage to door lock and frame of accommodation in Clays Orchard, Fovant. Subsequently arrested. (PC Darren Jennings)
25th 1350/1600hrs Burglar broke into a house in Swallowcliffe and stole property from within. (PC Mark Steele)
28th Male from Fovant arrested in Sutton Mandeville on suspicion of drink driving. (PC Darren Jennings)

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

1st 1230-1345hrs ½ ton ballast weight from a tractor was stolen from the roadside between Ansty & Tisbury.
(PC Simon Davies)
13th / 14th Thief stole two dog collars left hanging outside a house in Donhead St. Mary (Crime Desk)

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

2nd 0500/0530hrs Thieves broke into a car in Salisbury Street, Mere and stole car stereo, speakers and CDs.
(PC Pete Robins)
11th / 12th Overnight burglars broke into Duchy Manor School, Mere. Laptop computer and cash stolen.
(PC Gary Treherne)
12th Male arrested in Mere on suspicion of drink driving. (PC Jerry Wilkins)
23rd Male arrested for being drunk and disorderly whilst wandering along the A303 at Charnage Hill.
(PC Darren Jennings)
27th Unknown person damaged metal hasp on a garden gate in Church Street, Mere. (Crime Desk)

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

1st Male arrested on suspicion of theft by deception. (PC Jerry Wilkins)
26th / 27th Overnight some kind soul threw a kerbstone through the windscreen of a Land Rover parked in Station Road, Semley. (PC Jerry Wilkins)

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

9th Someone kicked a front door in Kilmington causing damage. (Crime Desk)
10th / 17th Thieves stole a lamp from the church in Maiden Bradley. (Crime Desk)

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