BEWARE OFFERS OF GIFTS FROM OVERSEAS.

I reported in a previous bulletin the fact that a group of fraudsters from Toronto, Canada were sending letters to addresses in the area promising extraordinary gifts. High value cash prizes were available for a small fee to cover 'administration'. I have now been informed that these people are now calling people on the telephone. Once again they are offering amazing prizes, all they ask is that you give them your bank details to cover the 'administration' fee. Once again I warn you, these people have no intention of giving you a prize they merely want to fleece you for as much as they can get out of you. DO NOT GIVE ANYONE DETAILS OF YOUR BANK ACCOUNT UNLESS YOUR ARE ABSOLUTELY SURE THAT THEY ARE GENUINE.

TARMACCERS COUGH UP BEHIND BARS.

You ma y remember in May 1999 there was are report about men visiting the area offering to tarmac driveways with tarmac 'left over' from resurfacing the A303. Several people took up the 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 there are others like them out there and they will not be behind bars forever.

POLICE OFFICER - IS HE OR ISN'T HE?

Recently there have been several incidents in the county (although not here-yet!) of crimes being committed by people pretending to be Police Officers. These people are lower than a snakes belly as they usually target the elderly and vulnerable within the community. They knock on the door and make up some reason to gain entry saying they are the Police. Mostly they are in plain clothes but on one occasion they were in some sort of uniform.
There are no plain clothes officers stationed at Tisbury or Mere and therefore it is extremely unlikely that one will visit you. If someone comes to the door in some sort of uniform but you are not convinced they are genuine there are several things you can do to put your mind at rest. If we call at your address we will usually have a big shiny Police car parked nearby. We do not have a plain car here, they are all white with blue lights and stripes just like on The Bill. We all carry an official warrant card bearing the Force crest, photograph, rank and shoulder number on and would be happy to let you see it on request. Use your door chain and if you are not happy telephone the Police station. If someone knocks on your door stating that they are a Police Officer and you have reason to believe they are lying ring '999' immediately. These people might visit our area next, let us be the ones to stop them.

ANOTHER SHED ALARM SUCCESS STORY!

At 10.30pm on the 19th of January this year an unsuspecting thief broke into a shed in the garden of a house at an address near East Knoyle. When the miscreant opened the door the shed alarm activated. The thief ran off without stealing anything. Hopefully the noise scared him or her considerably, so much so, that they will think twice next time. I wish I could have been there to see the look on their dishonest little face!
Hopefully I will be getting another stock of shed alarms soon, let me know if you want one. For those of you still waiting please be patient. I have personally delivered well over 100 so far and will get to you eventually.

WHAT A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE!

Did you know that Wiltshire had the second lowest number of reported crimes per head of population in the country in 2001? Only Surrey had fewer. 36555 crimes were reported in Wiltshire, but only 462 of them occurred on the Tisbury and Mere Section. Using my schoolboy mathematics I make that just over 2% of the reported crime for the county. Now you must admit that is not bad. It could be better, but it certainly isn't bad. Especially when you consider that over 12,500 people live in the Tisbury and Mere Section which covers 26 parishes and almost 130 square miles. Feeling better about living here yet? How about if I tell you that violent crime is virtually non-existent out here. How about if I tell you that nobody was attacked by a stranger on this section in the whole of last year? How about if I tell you there are more Police Officers stationed at Tisbury and Mere than there were this time last year, and that we now provide cover for 21hours every day?………I say again, what a great place to live.

QUAD BIKE OWNERS - IMPORTANT NEWS.

Across the county there appears to be an increase in the number of Quad bikes being stolen. Once stolen they are very difficult to trace. If you own a quad bike that is not registered with DVLA please consider the following.
It is possible to register a quad bike with DVLA even if it is not to be used on the road. You will be allocated a registration number but you will not be required to tax the vehicle, it is tax exempt. It will make it easier for us to circulate the details of any stolen quad. It will also increase the chances of recovering the quad should it be stolen and assist us in catching the thieves. If you would like to help us by registering your quad bike please contact the local DVLA Office at Bournemouth on 01202-558531 and ask for a form V55/5.

REPORTED CRIME
TISBURY & MERE SECTION - JANUARY 2002

ANSTY - 5th Quadbike stolen from farm (PC Clark)
CHARLTON - 2nd Window smashed at village hall. (PC Madams)
CHICKLADE - 1st Tools stolen from barn. (PC Wilkins)
DONHEAD ST ANDREW - 12th Handbag stolen from car parked at Win Green. (PC Littlewood)
DONHEAD ST MARY - 1st Car window smashed in Coronation Drive, male arrested for the offence on the 8th (PC Madams) 7th Car stolen from Coronation Drive overnight, subsequently recovered at Win Green (PC Madams) 15th Shed broken into at Middle Coombe, lawnmower stolen but left nearby (PC Wilson)
EAST KNOYLE - 19th Outbuilding broken into at Underhill, shed alarm activated thief left empty handed (PC Wilkins)
KILMINGTON - 1st Male arrested for domestic related incident (PC Briant)
MAIDEN BRADLEY - 8th House broken into, alarm activated, nothing stolen (PC Briant)
12th Village shop broken into and property stolen. Two drug addicts from Bristol arrested shortly afterwards in Shaftesbury in possession of the stolen property (Salisbury CID)
MERE - 9th Two males arrested for damaging Christmas Tree lights in The Square (PC Mills)
17th 'Case' tractor with hedge cutting arm attached stolen from Whitehill Farm (PC Wilson)
21st Isolated farmhouse broken into, domestic appliances stolen (PC Mills)
27th Window of parked car smashed and mobile phone which was left on the dashboard stolen (PC Mills)
NORTON FERRIS - 4th Farm workshop broken into tools stolen (PC Briant)
SEMLEY - 9th Male arrested for deception and handling stolen goods (PC Madams)
STOURTON - 7th Large quantity of power tools stolen from outbuilding (PC Briant)
TISBURY - 3rd Female interviewed for shoplifting, property recovered from her freezer (PC Briant)
10th Male arrested for assault (PC Littlewood) 14th Power tools stolen from building site in Church Street (PC Littlewood) 19th Phone cable damaged at Public House (PC Littlewood)
TOLLARD ROYAL - 23rd Golf Course Clubhouse broken into, damage caused. (PC Wilkins)
25th Tools stolen from insecure garage on Rushmore estate (PC Madams)
29th Landrover stolen from Rushmore estate (PC Madams)
WILLOUGHBY HEDGE SERVICES - 16th Petrol obtained by deception (PC Wilkins)
ZEALS - 1st Phone stolen from Public House (PC Briant) 3rd Vending machine reported stolen from Public House (PC Briant) 13th Purse stolen from Public House (PC Briant) 22nd Stone donkey stolen from garden in Westfields (PC Briant)

Tisbury 01747-870203 / Mere 01747-860268 (General Enquiries)
Police Control Room 01722-411444 (To report incidents)
CRIMESTOPPERS 0800 555 111 (Anonymous reporting)
EMERGENCIES '999' (Crime in progress, persons in danger etc.)

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mark.steele@wiltshire.police.uk