Category: Crimewatch

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Amy Crowfoot (Dorset Police, Communications and Engagement Department, Force HQ)

Click here to view the itinerary:

http://www.dorset.police.uk/pdf/NHW_Week_2015_Events_Lists_v2.pdf

Fraud and cyber crime are the key themes in this year’s Neighbourhood and Home Watch Week – a national event which encourages communities to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour by working together and increasing community spirit.

Community-led events will be happening all over Dorset between Saturday 20 June and Sunday 28 June 2015. This will include a cyber crime awareness day in Bournemouth and Blue Light Day in Shaftesbury, both on 27 June.

Neighbourhood and Home Watch groups work alongside organisations including the police, fire service, local authorities and the Dorset Association of Town and Parish Councils, to make their community a better place and to improve the quality of life for local people.

The police provide tips and tricks on how to bolster home and garden security and advice on personal safety and staying safe online and in the home – focusing on phone and doorstep fraud.

Members of Dorset Watch groups will be joining their fellow countrymen and women from across England and Wales during the Neighbourhood and Home Watch Week.

A total of 173,000 coordinators will be spending the week talking to their neighbours about the dangers of phone scams and cyber crime.
Dorset has lost over £1 million to phone fraudsters since March 2014 but since BT and other operators have shut the lines down, after two seconds of being disconnected, the police have not received any reports.

The message of never giving out bank details over the phone still applies. Criminals are likely to find different ways to scam people, so police will be attending events across the county to give out free, impartial advice on crime prevention and will encourage people to get into the habit of hanging up on fraudsters.

According to Neighbourhood Watch, new research shows that £23.6 million was lost nationally over the course of the year through phone fraud – the most common type of crime of this nature.

Tackling cyber crime is high on the agenda of Dorset Police, the Police and Crime Commissioner and several other agencies and charities.

John Shave MBE, Association of Dorset Watches Chair, said: “National Neighbourhood and Home Watch week provides all groups with the opportunity to promote the benefits of Watch membership and crime prevention advice.

“Across the county, various groups will be running events and distributing materials. This year there is a particular focus on cyber crime and fraud in all its various forms.

Helen Brittan, Head of Volunteers Strategy Project, added: “Neighbourhood and Home Watches are the largest volunteer organisation in Dorset and they demonstrate community action at its best in helping to keep Dorset safe.

“Dorset Police supports Watches wholeheartedly in their role and this week highlights the vital volunteering work being undertaken by schemes.

“We are advising people to Hang Up On Fraudsters in our phone fraud campaign and people can get free advice on cyber crime by visiting www.getsafeonline.org.”

Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner, Martyn Underhill commented: “I would always encourage people to join up to their local watch scheme. Neighbourhood and Home Watch volunteers are perfectly placed to spot crime as they look out for each other and are able to spot anything suspicious and are a point of contact for the police.

“It’s about the community policing itself and it’s about the community and the police working together. I am a strong advocate of Neighbourhood Watch and I am proud that my office is contributing funds to the Neighbourhood Watch scheme in Dorset.”

Action Fraud has seen an increase in the number of small to medium sized businesses being contacted by fake bailiffs requesting payments for a phantom debt.

The scam involves the business being cold called from someone purporting they are bailiffs working on behalf of a court, attempting to recover funds for a non-existent debt. The caller will then request payment by means of bank transfer and if this is refused, will threaten to visit the premises to recover the debt that is owed.

A range of different businesses are being targeted; including Nurseries, Manufacturers, Hotels and Taxi Services.

Protect Yourself

• Confirm what the debt is regarding; bailiffs are only used to recover certain debts such as council tax, child support and compensation orders. Bailiffs are not used to recover debts relating to private advertisement; these would be collected by debt collectors. Debt collectors do not have the same legal powers as bailiffs and will not have special court authorisation to act. For more details regarding this, please look at the Citizens Advice website.
• Double check with the Court or originating company to confirm whether the suspects are legitimate; if you use a landline make sure you hear the dialling tone prior to dialling as the suspects could still be on the line.
• Request details of the debt in writing to access its legitimacy.
• Do not feel rushed or intimidated to make a decision based on a phone call.

If you, or anyone you know, have been affected by this fraud or any other scam, report it to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040 or visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk

Fraudsters often target ‘goods for sale’ adverts on popular online auctions sites, so watch out whenever you’re selling anything online.

How does the fraudster operate?

The fraudster will contact the seller to say that they want to buy the advertised item.
The seller then receives what looks like a genuine PayPal email, to confirm that the money has been paid by the buyer into their account.

With confirmation of payment, the seller will then send the item to the buyer’s address. The seller will later find that the PayPal email is fake and that the money has not been paid. The seller ends up losing out twice as not only do they not have the money, but they no longer have the item to sell.

Protect yourself:

• Check your PayPal account to ensure that the money has been paid in and has cleared into your bank account before you send the item to the buyer.
• Do not be bullied or rushed into sending items before you know that the payment has cleared – a genuine purchaser will not mind waiting a day or two for you to send them their item.
• If you are selling a vehicle, think carefully when selling to overseas purchasers – especially if they tell you they will send an extra payment for shipping – check that the funds have cleared before arranging this.

People nationwide are receiving cold calls and are being persuaded to invest in ‘Fine Art’.

Concerns around this include:
• How the commodity is being offered, such as how the cold callers persuade victims to part with their money.
• Hidden costs charged to the victims to view the product, shipping costs or additional fees to store the item.

How to protect yourself:

•  If the investment sounds too good to be true it probably is.
•  Hang-up on investment cold calls. Legitimate companies will not ring-up and offer you an investment out of the blue.
•  Do not give out personal financial information to cold callers
• Check whether the art dealer is a member of a trade association, such as The Society of London Art Dealers (SLAD), The Association of Art and Antique Dealers (LAPADA), The British Art Dealers Association (BADA) or Confederation of International Dealers in Art Work (CINOA).
•  Request copies of old receipts, invoices and question the history of the previous owner of the art investment, to check if the product is genuine before investing.

We’re proud to announce that the Shaftesbury and Gillingham Home Watch association are now on line.

We’d like to ask anyone who has a home or business in these areas to get online and check them out. They are a great source of security information and practical advice for keeping yourself and your property secure.

www.sgwha.org.uk

North Dorset Officers have been investigating a theft of a Landrover discovery car, taken sometime between 2200hrs yesterday 14052015 and 0500hrs today 15052015
This vehicle has been taken from the Silton area of Gillingham.

This does follow on from another Landrover theft from Todber, Sturminster Newton during the day on Tuesday 12052015.

Both vehicles have been the older style Landrovers.

Although these don’t appear to be linked crimes at this time, the safer neighbourhood teams would like to encourage owners of older vehicles to check the security of their vehicles and to consider purchasing after market security features such as steering wheel locks or other devices that are widely available.

Please find below information received from Dorset Police –

Cops in shops

Due to our ongoing commitments in relation to the general election we are rearranging our Cops in Shops and this will now be taking place on Thursday 14 May 2015.

This will be in the following areas and times:
Pimperne Post Office 10:30 – 11:00
Home Farm, Tarrant Gunville: 11:30 – 12:00
Iwerne Minster Post Office: 12:30 – 13:00
The White Horse, Stourpaine: 13:30 – 14:00
Okeford Fitzpaine Post Office: 14:30 – 15:00

Break-in to vehicle 6th May 2015

Officers are investigating a break to a vehicle on bank holiday Monday in the Bell Hill area of North Dorset.
This is an area off the Okeford Hill bridleway and we are enquiring if anyone was in this area on Monday around the hours of 1300 to 1500 hrs and saw anything suspicious.
A handbag was stolen from the vehicle and we are also using this opportunity to remind people to remove all valuables from your vehicle when you leave it for any amount of time.

HANG UP ON FRAUDSTERS
Telephone fraudsters are targeting Dorset Residents
Cold callers trick people into transferring money to a fake bank account or sending it via a courier

Protect yourself from criminals
NEVER
give out your pin number or bank details to anyone who calls you no matter who they claim to be,or where they claim to be from.
send cash in a taxi or via a courier.
send bank cards anywhere -always keep them with you.

If you have concerns regarding this or believe that you may have been a victim of this type of scam please contact us on 101.

Rural Crime

This message is to inform people that there has been two burglaries in the Dorchester area over the weekend where outbuildings were broken into for chemical thefts.
These chemicals are used for farming purposes and not believed to have been stolen for any other reasons.
Once again, we would like to remind farmers, gardeners and builders to check their security and ensure that all items of value are safely secured and marked if possible.

The following information has been received from Dorset Police –

Valuables left in your vehicle? –

Like to show off your stuff?    Thieves like you to

With the nice weather and the urge to go for long walks in beauty spots nearly upon us don’t get distracted and allow yourself to become a victim of vehicle crime.

To help prevent this do not leave any valuables on show that may tempt criminals to take an active interest in your vehicle and want what you left on display.

Remember to remove valuables from your vehicle and enjoy the weather.

Suspicious vehicle –

Yesterday, 22 April 2015, suspicious men were spotted selling tools from the back of their van in the Blandford area. They were sighted in Gillingham, Winterborne Whitechurch, Winterborne Stickland and Tarrant Gunville. Some of the tools being sold included chainsaws as well as generators and power washers.

The men were approaching local residents, and also people in car parks.

If you witnessed this incident or have any reported sightings or information, please contact Dorset Police on 101 and quote the crime number I21:0344.

Orange MR XC Mountain Bike –

North Dorset officers are looking for the original owner of an “orange” mountain bike.

The bike we have is white in colour made by “Orange”
It is an MR XC model. We believe this is a very expensive make of bike.

If anyone believes they may have any information, please contact Dorset Police on 101 quoting incident 22:0034 as soon as possible.
A link to the photograph is available on the Noth Dorset Safer Neighbourhood facebook page.