Copers Cope Police Newsletter November 2015

Hello and thank you for reading this months Copers Cope Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) newsletter.

The team details and ward map along with other useful information can be accessed at http://content.met.police.uk/Team/Bromley/CopersCope

Your team includes

• PS 12py Steve King, Sergeant
• PC 128py Steve Allen, Dedicated Ward Officer ( DWO )
• PCSO 7256py Julie Oldfield, Dedicated Ward Officer ( DWO )

Street Surgery

Our next surgeries are on the following dates:

• Wednesday 11th November 2015 between 11.00 a.m & 12.00 p.m at Waitrose Southend Road
• Friday 4th December 2015 between 5.00 p.m & 6.00 p.m at Waitrose Southend Road

Come and talk to your local Officers and discuss your concerns and for crime prevention information.

Crime

Our ward priorities are:

• Burglary
• Motor vehicle crime
• Robbery – personal property

Our promises are:

• ASB related to alcohol
• Shoplifting
• Traffic

We have seen a drop in burglary offences in the last month however theft from motor vehicles is still a problem with offences happening in different areas across the ward.

With the dark nights now drawing in please look into protecting your home when it starts to get dark. Having timer switches for your lights is a cheap solution.

The Police in Bromley are still conducting operations in the worse affected areas for both burglary and motor vehicle crimes.

Cycle Marking

The Bromley Safer Transport Team are holding cycle marking events on the following dates:

– 6th November 2015 Bromley South BR Station 5.00 pm – 6.00 pm – 10th November 2015 Beckenham Spa 7.00 pm – 8.30 pm

– 13th November 2015 Bromley South BR Station 5.00 pm – 6.00 pm
– 14th November 2015 Cycles UK Orpington High Street 10.00 am – 4.00 pm – 20th November 2015 Bromley South BR Station 5.00 pm – 6.00 pm

Up and coming events are advertised on:

http://www.met.police.uk/teams/transportse/bromley/

Further crime prevention information is available from http://www.met.police.uk/bromley and follow the link to Crime Prevention.

Trading Standards Warning

Three incidents have come to our attention involving what appears to be a very similar bogus drainage repair scam.

Incident 1

Trading Standards were contacted by the family of a Beckenham resident who was cold called and told there was a problem with a neighbours drain. He allowed the men into his back garden to inspect his manhole cover and they told him that work was needed to clear a blockage. The resident paid a deposit for machinery needed to do this work.

This man was also told that he had damp in the property and then paid a further £10,000 to resolve these problems.

Incident 2

A further report was received from an elderly resident in Orpington who was cold called by a young male in shorts and told that there was a problem with a blockage on a neighbours drain. The resident was asked for permission to inspect his drains and he agreed. The male lifted the manhole cover and left.

The resident was then telephoned by a man claiming to be from a company attempting to sort out the problem, he was told that a deposit of £4000 was needed to hire machinery to clear the blocked drains and asked the resident to go to the bank and get a bankers draft.

The resident refused and he then received a call from someone claiming to be from the council who applied more pressure in an attempt to get the resident to provide the funds. The resident again refused.

The resident then received a phone call from a further male pretending to be one of the neighbours, again applying pressure and trying to appeal to the resident’s good nature in assisting a neighbour. Luckily the resident knows his neighbours and did not fall for it.

When they continued to phone, the resident advised that he had informed trading standards and police and the caller hung up.

Incident 3

Trading Standards have issued an additional warning following further reports of rogue trader activity in Beckenham. Officers were alerted to a vulnerable man who had gone to his bank to withdraw £12,000 in cash. This followed a previous withdrawal a few days earlier of £12,000 for what the man said was roof repairs. Bank staff became concerned and called the rapid response team who attended and discovered the man had been cold called on Tuesday 6th October by two men, both believed to have Irish accents and noticeable tans, persuaded the victim needed £27,000 worth of property repairs. They were driving a white transit van and may have been using a trading name of Home Improvements or Home Maintenance.

Officers investigating this matter interviewed several neighbours and have found a further victim who was elderly and pressured into having roof repairs by the same gang.

Head of Trading Standards Rob Vale is urging all residents to be extra vigilant. “We have had a string of cases recently where consumers are being

aggressively targeted by organised criminals. This case is particular upsetting as the male has mental health issues which would have been apparent to anyone talking to him and these people have taken advantage of him in the most despicable way. We will do all we can to find these individuals”

Portfolio Holder for Public Protection and Safety Cllr Kate Lymer added: “We have been promoting the Adult Safeguarding is “Everybody’s Business” campaign for several months now and seen an increase in referrals of this type of incident. But we need to do more so please report suspicious traders to the rapid response team on 07903 852 090.”

Trading Standards are investigating these incidents. Please look out for any suspicious cold callers offering property repairs or purporting to be from the council.

Call the trading standards rapid response team on 07903 852 090 if you are approached by anyone offering any type of property repairs. Please look out for any neighbours who may be vulnerable to this type of caller.

Neighbourhood Watch

Copers Cope ward would like to have a neighbourhood watch co-ordinator(s) on every street. If you know of anyone who wishes to take part please find information on info@bromleynwa.org.uk

If you know anyone who has set up a neighbourhood watch please can you send me their e-mail address so I can send them our monthly news letter.

Panel Members

We are looking for local residents to join our ward panel. There are 4 meetings a year and panel members help decide on the wards promises and discuss local issues.

If you would like to have your say on how your local community is policed please contact us for details.

Local Information

If there is any information you would like to share with the Copers Cope safer neighbourhood team and residents of Beckenham in relation to crime then please e-mail us using the address on the bottom of this letter.

Local Event

The next market will be taking place on Beckenham Green Saturday 5th December.

Thank you for your time reading this letter, if we can be of further assistance please do not hesitate to call or e-mail us and we will get back to you as soon as possible and we will be more than happy to help.

If you need police for an urgent matter where you are in danger or fear always dial 999. If you wish to see a police officer for a non emergency matter, then please dial 101

Copers Cope Safer Neighbourhood Team Telephone 0208 721 2772
E-Mail Coperscope.snt@met.police.uk