Crime Prevention News
30th Jan 2012
Police warn residents about distraction burglaries |
| Police in Croydon are reminding residents to remain vigilant and to take some basic steps to avoid falling victim to artifice or distraction burglars after two separate incidents yesterday (26 January 2012). Officers were called to Brighton Road, South Croydon yesterday at approximately 15:00hrs and arrested a man on suspicion of artifice burglary. Derek Tweddle (d.o.b.15/01/1968) of no fixed abode was later charged with burglary and is due to appear at Camberwell Magistrates’ Court (via virtual court) today (27 January). In a separate incident, at approximately 16:00hrs at an address in the Osbourne Road area, Thornton Heath, two men who have reportedly told the resident that there was a problem with the water supply. The victim - a woman in her 70s - has let the men into her home and whilst one of the suspects was in the kitchen with the victim, it is believed that the other has gone upstairs and stolen approximately £700 in cash before both men have made off. The first suspect is described as a white man in his mid-20s, approximately 5ft 9ins tall and of slim build. He is said to have been wearing a white shirt and light coloured trousers and white trainers and had an Irish accent. The second suspect is described as a white man in his 40s and approximately 5ft 9ins tall. He is said to have been wearing a green shirt and light coloured trousers. Anyone with information about this incident should contact Croydon’s Burglary Squad on 020 8649 1336 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Police are reminding residents to always check the identification of visitors, and not to answer the door or let cold callers into your address. Detective Sergeant Simon French from Croydon’s Burglary Squad said:“If you’re not sure of who is at the door, then the safest option is not to answer at all. In general we would advise all residents to not answer the door to cold callers, always check I.D. and credentials carefully and call the organisation they claim to be from to verify their identity - even if they claim to be police. “If they don’t have any proper identification and you are unsure that they are genuine callers, then refuse to let them into your home. Genuine callers will always be happy to wait while you verify who they are.” Residents are advised to:· Not open the door to cold callers or unexpected guests· Carefully check the identification of all callers before allowing them into your home, even if they have previously made an appointment· If you are unsure of the identity of the caller, contact the organisation they claim to be from (using a number from a public phone book or the company’s website) to confirm the caller is who they say - remember genuine callers will be happy to wait. · Alternatively, ask them to make an appointment to come back when a friend or relative is available to be with you. A genuine caller will understand.· If you see somebody acting suspiciously in your neighbourhood, call 999. For further crime prevention information visit http://www.met.police.uk/crimeprevention">www.met.police.uk/crimeprevention or contact your local Safer Neighbourhoods team. |
27th Jan 2012
A 17y/o dubbed the ‘Gumtree robber’ by investigating officers has been sentenced this month to 24 months detention at a Young Offenders Institute after pleading guilty to committing an attempted armed robbery.
The 17y/o male, appeared at Croydon Crown Court on 12 January where he pleaded guilty to charges of attempted robbery and possession of an [imitation] firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence.
The 17y/o trawled through the Gumtree website to identify his victim who was selling two items of jewellery valued at around £500 each. Contacting the victim using a mobile phone, he arranged to meet him at Ampere Way tram stop to purchase the items at approximately 18:30hrs on 8 July 2011.
The victim - a 22 year old man - and his friend, also 22, went to the tram stop to meet with the suspect and sell the items he had advertised on the site. The victim remained in his vehicle and was approached by the suspect, and another male. They looked at the ring, but the victim became suspicious and the suspect reached into his waist-band and pulled out what the victim believed to be a firearm.
The victim then drove away and contacted police shortly after to report the incident. Officers carried out a search of the area with the victims, but were unable to locate the two suspects.
Detectives from Croydon’s Robbery Squad took on the investigation and were able to trace the 17y/o suspect through analysis of phone and internet usage. Officers established an address for the suspect and arrested him on 28 July 2011 after he had just finished a driving test.
Officers conducted a search at his home address in Croydon and discovered the phones and computer that were used to coordinate the crime and they also recovered an imitation firearm from the address.
DC David Huzzey, from Croydon’s Robbery Squad who investigated the case said:“Through phone and IT investigations we were able to identify the main suspect in this case and after the search of his home address it was clear that we’d found the person responsible. He made no comment throughout his interviews, but given the weight of evidence against him, pleaded guilty to the offences.”
The 17y/o was charged with attempted robbery and possession of a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence on 11 October 2011 and was remanded in custody until he appeared at court where he pleaded guilty to both offences.
He was sentenced to 24 months detention at a Young Offenders Institute for the attempted robbery and 12 months for the firearms offence, with both sentences to be served concurrently.
The second suspect in the case is still to be identified. Anyone with information should contact Croydon’s Robbery Squad on 020 8649 1334 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.4th Jan 2012
Computer fault/virus telephone scam
Have you recently had an unsolicited telephone call from someone claiming to be from Microsoft or to be calling on their behalf about a problem you have on your Windows computer?
Have you received an email or pop up on your computer telling you that you have a virus? Sadly these types of scams are all too common. This is a global problem, and numerous alerts are regularly issued by Microsoft, Police, Trading Standards and other consumer bodies all the time.
Comprehensive advice and information on this problem and other online safety guidance is available from GetSafeOnline at
: http://www.getsafeonline.org/">http://www.getsafeonline.org/
and also from Microsoft’s web pages at
http://www.microsoft.com/security/onlineprivacy/msname.aspx">http://www.microsoft.com/security/onlineprivacy/msname.aspx
Always treat any unsolicited contact (by telephone, mail, email, door knocking) with suspicion, and never part with any personal details or bank card info/credit card. Say “I do not own a computer” then hang up on any unsolicited callers who claim to be calling about your computer etc. Do not respond to unsolicited spam emails, as this only confirms your email address is valid and live.Always keep your door chain on and ask door step callers for official ID. Close the door and keep it closed until you have satisfied yourself of the identity of the caller by making checks on their ID provided. Ring the business by finding the number in a telephone directory or telephoning a directory service provider.
Don’t ring the number on the ID – if it is fake so is the telephone number!
Never respond to junk mail. This will merely confirm your name and address to the senders who sell this information on. Register with the Telephone Preference Service and Mail Preference Service to reduce unwanted communications from genuine companies. The best defence against scams is to never engage with them.
4th Jan 2012
Get your new Christmas bicycle marked up and help protect it against thieves at two cycle marking events that police in Croydon are holding in January.
The two events will take place;
· from 12 noon until 4pm on 14 January at Halfords, 586 Wickham Road, Shirley and;
· from 10am until 2pm on 21 January at Cycling Made Easy, 18 Chipstead Valley Road, Coulsdon.
Officers from Croydon’s Safer Transport Team will be on hand to mark and register bicycles free of charge.
Inspector Jason Frith from Croydon’s Safer Transport Team said:
