Heinous Crime – Your help required.

8th December 2006 in a village near Devizes.
Two men knocked on the door of a property occupied by a 78 year old lady. The men stated they were from the council and forced their way in. They searched the house despite the protests of the elderly lady. It transpired that £20,000 in cash was stolen from the house.

22nd of December 2006 in Harnham, Salisbury.
A man knocked at the door of a property occupied by an 81 year old lady who has Parkinsons disease. He stated that he was from the waterboard and wandered around the house. The lady later discovers her purse has been opened and £60 stolen.

4th January 2007 in Amesbury.
Three men call at the home of a 78 year old disabled couple. They state they are from the waterboard and need to do some work in the house. They left having stolen £2,000 in cash.

5th of January 2007 near Alderbury.
A man called at the address of an 84 year gent asking to use the toilet. Fortunately the elderly man kept an eye on him and he eventually left empty handed. There is no doubting his intentions though.

13th of January 2007 in Mere.
A man claiming to be from the waterboard called at the address of an 89 year old lady. He stated he needed to sort out a leak. Once again he was followed by the lady and left empty handed.

I am unable to commit my thoughts to paper about the people committing these crimes. Suffice it to say that this cowardly, parasitic behaviour is about as low as a thief can go. The people who commit these crimes have no respect for their fellow man, no compassion, no conscience, they are utterly selfish. All the victims are decent law abiding people, some of whom fought for this country during the war. They do not deserve this plague upon them. They deserve respect and our protection. Unfortunately there aren’t enough coppers to have one guarding every vulnerable household so this is where you come in. All the offences recorded above happened in broad daylight. Undoubtedly the offenders were seen by neighbours or passers by. Why didn’t anyone ring the Police? I’ll tell you why, we are too trusting, we are not suspicious enough, and we are all too willing to find a reason for someone being somewhere rather than question their presence. I implore you to become suspicious and if you suspect someone contact the POLICE immediately. If your suspicions are misplaced it doesn’t matter, we would rather you report it than not. If you think something is suspicious then that is good enough for us. Only prompt action will have results.

We all have elderly relatives, how would you feel if it happened to yours?

Handbags ladies! Handbags!.

You can see from the list of reported crime below that during December five handbags were stolen from cars. As far as I am aware on all five occasions the owner of the handbag parked the car and went for a walk leaving the handbag in the car. Please do not leave your handbag in your car. Unless that is, your handbag is fitted with a mercury switch and when activated it will sound ear-splitting alarms and vent huge plumes of purple smoke at the same time as rendering a paralysing electric shock to the hapless weasel trying to filch it. If that is the case then you can leave it. At all other times take it with you!

ROAD TRAFFIC COLLISIONS December 2006.

Serious.
15th at 2017hrs. A four vehicle collision occurred on the A303 near Willoughby Hedge. One person was killed and three others were seriously injured.
22nd at 1238hrs. A303 at Willoughby Hedge. A car and lorry collided resulting in an elderly male receiving serious head injuries.

Not so serious.
19th at 1643hrs. A303 Mere bypass. Car left the road minor injuries to driver.
3rd 2128hrs. Semley. Car hit fallen tree.
3rd at 2218hrs. A303 Chicklade. Car left road.
10th at 1620hrs. A350 East Knoyle. Two cars.
10th at 1938hrs. A303. Car hit central barrier.
11th at 1953hrs. A303 Willoughby Hedge. Car hit bollards.
15th at 0903hrs. Tisbury Row. Car hit fuel tanker.
15th at 1850hrs. Fonthill Gifford. Car left road.
19th at 1146hrs. A303 Zeals. Two cars collided.
19th at 1235hrs. Castle Street, Mere. Car crashed into a parked car.
20th at 1717hrs. A30 Fovant. Car clipped bus and failed to stop.
22nd at 1413hrs. A303 Woodbine Hill. Two cars collided.
23rd at 1940hrs. A350 Semley. Car overturned.
24th at 1158hrs. B3092 at Maiden Bradley. Car left road. Driver arrested for drink driving.
24th at 1228hrs. A303 Chilmark Down. Two cars collided.
26th at 1617hrs. A 303 Mere bypass. Car had blow-out. Whilst waiting for help two cars crashed into its rear.
27th at 1228hrs. Maiden Bradley to Kingston Deverill Road. Two cars crashed.
28th at 1902hrs. A303 Mere. Single car crashed.

REPORTED CRIME & ARRESTS IN December 2006

TISBURY BEAT
Beat Officers: PC Mark Steele & PC Mark Littlewood
1st Car tyre slashed in Chicksgrove overnight..
12th Vandal smashed wing mirrors on car parked in Tisbury High street.
16th Shoplifting at the Co-op in Tisbury. CCTV footage is being enhanced.
17th Car broken into at Tollard Royal, handbag stolen from under the seat.
24th Toilets vandalised in Tisbury. Suspect known.
24th Male arrested having made off from a Police Officer on a stolen motorcycle near Fovant.
31st Hole cut in a window at Pandora’s Box in Tisbury.

MERE BEAT
Beat Officers: PC Pete Robins & PC Paul Scudds
5th Car left on side of A350 at Semley after an accident was set on fire by a thoughtful soul.
7th Car broken into at Stourton, handbag stolen.
8th House burgled in East Knoyle.
9th Car broken into at Stourhead, handbag stolen.
12th Car broken into and handbag stolen at Stourhead.
15th Trailer stolen from farm at Zeals.
22nd Car broken into at Mere Down, handbag stolen.
28th Car stolen from outside a house in East Knoyle. Found abandoned 2 miles away 15 minutes later.
29th Unoccupied house window in Mere smashed with a brick.
30th House nameplate ‘Hawthorns’ stolen in Mere.
30th Attempt made to break into house in Maiden Bradley. No entry gained.

And finally..

Two bits of advice. First – darkness.

A plea to all horse riders, dog walkers or just simply people out after dark. If you must walk along a road please ensure that you are wearing something light and reflective so that people can see you. Carry a torch if you can. It’s dark out there and if you are wearing dark clothing you make it very difficult for motorists to see you.

Secondly a word on scams.

I am passed details of scams on a daily basis and new ones come out every day. The general rule is that you don’t get something for nothing. If you have never entered the Canadian/Spanish/Mexican/Norwegian lottery you can’t win it. If you have to send money to receive a prize you are being ripped off. It’s a scam. So come on people wise up out there. There are people out there who will gladly take your money and they will prey on your gullibility and greed to get it. Don’t let it happen to you.

Wiltshire Police 0845 408 7000 24 hour number

TISBURY POLICE STATION - OPENING TIMES. (01747-870203)
Monday, Saturday & Sunday - CLOSED.
Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday- 9.00am to 1.00pm. Thursday- 9.00am to 5.00pm.

MERE POLICE STATION – OPENING TIMES. (01747-860268)
Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday from 0930hrs until 1230hrs. Friday from 1600hrs until 1900hrs.
Saturday from 0800hrs until 1100hrs.Thursday and Sunday – CLOSED.

24 HOUR NUMBER 01380-735735. CRIMESTOPPERS 0800-555-111.

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