Local Policing

Safer Neighbourhoods Team

Baughurst is covered by Hampshire Constabulary's Safer Neighbourhoods Team, PC Miriam (Mims) Edwards and PCSO Geoff Fermor-Dunman.

For information on what local policing does, its priorities for the area and beat surgery times, along with lots more interesting and useful information, visit Hampshire Constabulary's rural policing pages for the area.

January 2012

Vehicles to look out for, please:~

1. – male driver, late 50s, stout build, seen acting in sus circumstances in Baughurst on Friday 13^th, during the afternoon
   
   
2. white Transit van – KX07DJH – seen in Sherborne St John on Thurs 12^th – calling at properties, selling teak garden furniture from the back
   
   
3. white Ford Escort van – number similar to BAA12V – two male occupants in vehicle, seen at Ewhurst Park, near Ramsdell, around 6pm on Friday 13th

All these vehicles have been seen acting suspiciously on previous occasions around the area, so we would like to stop and speak to the occupants to find out their business!

Metal milk churn (used as garden ornament) stolen from a house in Elm Road, Sherborne St John – some time last Sunday, 8^th January, between 3pm and midnight - a timely reminder that anything metal is fair game to thieves these days.  I received a good quote from a NHW co-ordinator - “It has prompted me to review my outdoors metal at both home and allotment. I am making sure that if it moves it is brought in, if not then as far as possible fix it” (i.e. to something permanent).

A liver & white Springer Spaniel has gone missing, believed stolen, from a garden on the A340 Sherborne St John, on the night of 29^th Dec.  She is almost 11, microchipped, spayed, wearing a green collar and was beginning to show her age a little with some loss of hearing and tiring on exercise.

Church break-ins – St Stephens in Baughurst was broken into overnight Sun January 8^th-Mon 9^th  – please report any activity you may see around local churches which you think is suspicious or out of character.

Lead thefts – schools in the area are being targeted for lead flashing stolen from the roof.  Again, any suspicious activity you may spot at strange times around local schools, please ring 999.

Burglaries –

1.   on the A339 south of Kingsclere – some time during the afternoon on Friday January 6^th – downstairs window forced and laptop/CDs stolen

2.  Browninghill – poss connected to the church break-in above – storage barn broken into, tools stolen – during the evening on Sunday January 8^th 

Theft of diesel and equipment from road construction vehicles parked up near The Priory School, Pamber End – some time over the weekend 6-9^th, but a worker asleep in a van heard a vehicle about midnight on Sunday night which drove off when he looked out.

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Latest Neighbourhood Watch Newsletter

The rise in metal prices on the international market has caused an increase in the number of metal thefts, metal gates and bronze statues being some of the more recent items targeted.  If you have metal gates to your property consider inverting and capping the gate hinges so that they can't be lifted off and ensure fixing bolts can't be moved.  If you have any statues in your garden consider how the item is currently secured and if necessary move it to an area out of sight from public view. You may also wish to consider marking your property with a product such as Smartwater (www.smartwater.com).

With a month until Christmas, herewith a timely reminder on seasonal security:~

Vehicles:
•Ensure all windows and doors are secured when not in use
•Never leave keys in the ignition and the car unattended even for a few seconds
•Keep all presents and other shopping out of sight. Never leave them on the passenger seat or foot well of the vehicle.
•Do not leave valuables such as mobile phones, laptops or satellite navigation systems in the vehicle, take them with you.

Your Home:
•Make sure all doors and windows are kept locked, even if only popping out for a few minutes.
•Do not leave presents on display in the house or under the tree until the last minute.
•Remember to turn your Christmas lights off at night or before you go out as they could be a fire hazard.
•If you are going away over the festive season ask a neighbour or friend to check your house regularly and leave them a contact number in case of emergencies.

After Christmas:
•Dispose of any empty packaging carefully as it can be an advertisement for thieves.

 Wpc Miriam Edwards

07554 775465

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Country Watch

This is a police-led scheme that works in partnership with other police departments such as Safer Neighbourhoods, Equine Liaison and Wildlife Crime.

Its aim is to reduce rural crime, reassure rural communities and improve communication between police, partner agencies and the communities themselves.

IIt's free to join and you'll be kept up to date with information from your local police about suspicious vehicles, people and crimes.  You'll also be able to pass on information about suspicious activities you may have witnessed, which is then shared with other members.  The scheme can also help with crime prevention steps such as property marking and the purchase of SmartWater (forensic coding system which can deter burglars, protect property and possessions) kits at reduced costs.

To find out more contact northandeast.countrywatch@hampshire.pnn.police.uk, or by phone on 07768 552907.

Basingstoke and Deane Country Watch
North and East OCU

Sergeant Shaun Stinson
PC Lee Coleshill
PCSO Melissa Rowell

They specialise in dealing with issues related to rural and wildlife crime and work closely with key partner agencies and the rural community to help gather intelligence, provide a visible presence and tackle the issues that are important.

To register for Country Watch, download an application form here.

Click here to download their Winter newsletter now!

Operation Thornley

Operation Thornley was set up as a local scheme in the rural areas of the Basingstoke district in 2005. It was, and still is, a system that allows a member of the public to contact their local policing teams when they witness a poaching incident. The scheme proved so successful in our area that other operational policing teams in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are now using it.

If you see an incident of poaching, be it fishing, hare coursing, deer stalking or anything else of a similar nature, you are encouraged to contact Hampshire Constabulary immediately and quote 'Operation Thornley'. The incident must be ongoing.

On receipt of a call of this nature, the police controller will instigate an action plan. You will asked some standard questions such as: 

• where are you?
• what have you seen?
• how many people are engaged in the unlawful activity?

Local police units will then be deployed to the area in an attempt to apprehend the offenders. If available, we will also deploy officers from the Roads Policing Unit, the Dog Section and even the police spotter plane.

We have caught and successfully prosecuted a vast amount of people involved in these types of offences. If we can, we will seize the offender's vehicles and if the court orders it, the vehicles are crushed.

For historical incidents you are still encouraged to let us know, but not using the Operation Thornley method. By calling us on 101 or 0845 045 4545 you will be able to leave all the details of what you witnessed earlier and these will be forwarded to the Country Watch team for further investigation.  

Secure your property - register it for FREE

We are currently running a campaign to prevent burglaries being committed to all out buildings, such as sheds, garages, farm stores and such like.

We all know that valuable items are stored in these buildings and that in itself makes them a place of interest to thieves.

You need to ensure that all of your items are marked in some way. Post coding is a simple method. By using UV marker pens it won't mark the property in a way that appears unsightly, but, if you are unfortunate enough to have any items stolen, by having it marked, the chances of having it returned should it be recovered are obviously increased.

Ask yourself:

• is the lighting at my property adequate?
• Are there locks on doors and if so, are they locked when the out building is not in use?
• Are you happy with the overall security?

If not, then you may wish to do something about it before it's too late. If you need further security advice then you can contact a member of the Country Watch team on the details below, who will be happy to assist or point you in the right  direction of our specialised crime prevention teams.

Do you have a list of all your property available, with descriptions and serial numbers? We now offer a FREE service where you can ensure all your valuables are listed with the Country Watch team, so that if your property is stolen and recovered, we have a better chance of reuniting it with you.

Download the form by clicking on this link and emailing it back to the Country Watch team.

Free Tack Marking

By being a member of our Country Watch scheme, we are able to offer you a free tack marking and crime prevention service. Officers are able to come to your stables or yard at your convenience to mark your tack including saddles and bridles. For further information or advice and to arrange for your tack marked please contact PCSO Melissa Rowell on the details below.  

Useful contacts

Click here for a list of useful contacts.

Please click here to find out more about policing in your local area

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