LADIES, PLEASE - YOUR HANDBAGS!

If you look at the recorded crime for August you will see that no fewer than seven handbags were stolen during the month in the Tisbury and Mere Police area. Most of those were stolen from cars parked at local dog walking or beauty spots. I am aware that I am treading on very thin ice here and I am also aware that most of you are sensible and take appropriate crime prevention action. However I do have several questions for some of the female readers of this bulletin. If it is so important that you take your handbag with you when you go out, why do you then leave it in your car? Did you really need to take it with you in the first instance? Could you not carry it with you when you leave the car? Please give it some thought. It is not enough to leave your handbag in your boot. Thieves have caught on to that one!

GOING…. GOING…. WELL NOW HE’S REALLY GONE

You may have read from time to time in this bulletin about changes to personnel here. A name that has cropped up many times is that of Tisbury and Mere stalwart PC Graham Briant. Graham first came here in 1994 and has disappeared from time to time to do other things within the Wiltshire Constabulary namely working on the tutor constable unit, control room, prisoner handling team and CID. However, he has always made a welcome return to patrol the green and pleasant land of the Tisbury and Mere Section. But all good things must come to an end and Graham has decided that a change of scene and role in the Police Force is needed. He finishes as the beat officer for the Tisbury South beat at the beginning of September and starts a new role later in the month as a response driver in the Chippenham division where he will be a valuable asset and will be passing on words of wisdom to some colleagues who are just starting out on their careers. We wish him well for the future and hope that you will also.

GOING…. GOING…. WELL NOW HE’S REALLY GONE

Over the past few months there have been several daytime break-ins at houses in the area. Houses in Tisbury, Mere, Tollard Royal, Maiden Bradley, and several villages in between have all been attacked. All of the burglaries have occurred in broad daylight and on most occasions a window has been smashed, sometimes with a tool found in a shed or garden. Jewellery seems to be what the thieving you-know-what is mostly after. There are precautions that you can take.

1. DOES YOUR HOUSE HAVE A BURGLAR ALARM FITTED? DO YOU USE IT? WE MAY NOT HEAR IT BUT THE BURGLAR WILL. THEY ARE A GOOD DETERRENT.
2. IS YOUR JEWELLERY ON DISPLAY? IF SO, WHY? WHO ARE YOU EXPECTING? HIDE YOUR JEWELLERY WHERE IT WILL NOT BE FOUND. NO NOT IN A DRAWER THAT’S THE FIRST PLACE THEY LOOK. HIDE IT PROPERLY.
3. GARDEN TOOLS - ARE THEY LYING ABOUT OR ARE THEY LOCKED AWAY?
4. WINDOW AND DOOR LOCKS. IF YOU HAVE THEM USE THEM.
5. BE NOSEY – WHO’S THAT IN NEXT DOORS GARDEN, WHAT ARE THEY DOING?

REPORTED CRIME & ARRESTS IN AUGUST 2004

TISBURY BEAT
(TISBURY, WARDOUR, HATCH, E HATCH & NEWTOWN)
Beat Officers: PCs Mark Littlewood and Mark Steele
1st 1315hrs - Male from Tisbury arrested for assault having beaten another man with his fists. (PC Mark Steele)
5th 0015hrs - Male assaulted in Hindon Lane as he walked home, struck in the face by unknown assailant. (PC Steve Porter)
Between 4th and 11th burglars broke into a house in Tisbury High Street using a spade they found in the shed and stole property from inside. (PC Mark Littlewood)
15th 2150hrs - Male threatening to kill himself arrested in Churchill Estate under the Mental Health Act. (PC Simon Davies)
19th 1315hrs - Male assaulted his neighbour in Churchill Estate by beating. He was arrested and charged. (PC Mark Steele)

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.
1st 0205hrs – Male drove off from Police when directed to stop on the A303, he was followed at speeds in excess of 110mph and arrested having run away from his car in Shrewton. (PC Steve Porter)
5th Two youths arrested for burgling The Angel Inn, Hindon the night before. (PC Martin Faulkner)
7th 1242hrs - Thief put £20 of fuel in his car at Chicklade garage and drove off without paying. (PC Darren Jennings)
10th 2125hrs - Thief put £28 of fuel in his car at Chicklade garage and drove off without paying. (PC Mark Steele)

TISBURY SOUTH BEAT
(ANSTY, ALVEDISTON, BERWICK ST.JOHN, CHARLTON, THE COOMBES, THE DONHEADS, LUDWELL & TOLLARD ROYAL): Beat Officer PC Graham Briant.
6th 1445hrs- Thief smashed window of car parked in Ansty and stole handbag. (PC Graham Briant)
16th 1820hrs – Female arrested in Donhead St. Andrew for drink driving. (PC Darren Jennings)
18th 1130 - 1200hrs a handbag was stolen from a chicken farm at Donhead St. Andrew. (Crime Desk)

MERE BEAT (including BURTON)
Beat Officers: PCs Gary Treherne & Pete Robins.
3rd Overnight thieves broke into a farm building on the edge of Mere and stole a pressure washer, a joint of meat and some cat food, yes really! (PC Darren Jennings)
3rd During morning thief entered business premises in Mere and stole a mitre saw from the workshop. (PC Gary Treherne)
During the month three youths were arrested and dealt with for attempting to steal a trampoline from a garden in Mere (as reported in last months bulletin)(PC Gary Treherne)
11th Female arrested in Mere on warrant for failing to appear in court. (PC Martin Faulkner)
25thHouse in Pettridge Lane burgled during the morning. Jewellery stolen. (PC Darren Jennings)

MERE SOUTH BEAT
(EAST KNOYLE, WEST KNOYLE, SEMLEY, SEDGEHILL & WILLOUGHBY HEDGE)
Beat Officer PC Jerry Wilkins.
2nd Male from Sedgehill arrested on two counts of obtaining services by deception. (PC Jerry Wilkins)
13th 0858hrs - Thief put £36 of fuel in his car at garage on A303 and drove off without paying. (PC Darren Jennings)
Between 1830hrs on the 19th & 1310hrs on the 20th – 100 pot plants stolen from a nursery at Sedgehill. (PC Simon Davies)

MERE NORTH BEAT
(GASPER, KILMINGTON, MAIDEN BRADLEY, NORTON FERRIS, STOURTON, WOLVERTON & ZEALS) Beat Officer: PC Steve Porter & PC Martin Faulkner
8th 1145 - 1150hrs - Thief forced a window to gain entry to a car parked at Alfred’s Tower and stole a handbag from the boot. (Crime Desk)
10th 1245hrs – Woman put £38 worth of diesel in her car at Zeals garage. Then said she didn’t have any money and would go and get some….you guessed it …..she failed to return. (PC Martin Faulkner)
17th House in Maiden Bradley burgled while occupants on holiday, jewellery stolen. (PC Martin Faulkner)
21st 1430 - 1600hrs – Thief somehow entered a car parked at Alfred’s Tower and stole two handbags from the boot, car was then relocked. (Crime Desk)
24th 0745 - 0830hrs – Thief reached in through open window of a cottage in Zeals, stole a handbag. (Crime Desk)
25th 1430 -1530hrs Car parked on White Sheet Hill broken into, handbag stolen. (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