Crime: 27 November 2013  

The police Christmas Drink and Drive campaign starts in earnest on Sunday  - we all know we should be doing the right thing and I get the impression from people I meet that the message, really has got through.  Just be aware.
 
I have had this in from one of our members in Maidenhead:
 
Hi Jeff,
I’m not sure how this is supposed to be done, so hope you don’t mind me emailing you directly. If incorrect please let me know the right procedure.
 
I wanted to report an attempted break in to our garden shed. One of the windows was forced, but thankfully it seems the amount of junk in front of it, deterred them from trying to get through. As far as I can tell, nothing was taken.
 
Unfortunately I can’t give a precise timeframe, the shed is at the far side of the garden and the window is not visible from the house (why it was chosen presumably). I spotted the break in today, but haven’t been over there since the weekend before last, and even then I’m not sure whether I would have noticed it.
 
Tovara
 
I am grateful to Tovara, for reminding me that not everyone knows how to report a crime and whether or not to bother, if nothing was taken and it was only an attempt.
 
The answer is very simple – every crime / attempted crime must be reported to us on the 101 telephone number to the PEC (Police Enquiry Centre).  EVEN IF IT WS ONLY AN ATTEMPT AND NOTHING WAS STOLEN – OR YOU THINK WE WON’T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT ANYWAY.  Your crime is part of a pattern and could possibly – from the M.O. alone, could identify an offender.  We may have seen a known offender in a particular location during routine police patrols and wondered why they were there – or what they had been up to.  If you don’t report even what may appear to you, to be insignificant offences – criminal damage to fences for example - used by someone to climb over to get to a neighbour’s house ?? etc. we cannot put the patterns together.  Please remember the jigsaw principal – you may have the vital piece that links one pattern with another, we think little Johnny was burgling in X area and there was a similar set of offences in Z area, but there is no link – until your offence comes in, in Y area !  Then it all makes sense and links up.  Often we do catch an offender and they have to make reparation – this happens when we catch drunken young lads who have gone down roads breaking off car aerials and wing mirrors.  Most are not reported and the owner pays to have the damage rectified themselves.  They miss out, when an offender is made to pay !
 
 
MAIDENHEAD CENTRAL:
maidenheadcentralnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
Your Neighbourhood Page on TVP's Website - Click Here
NO CRIME TO REPORT
 
RIVERSIDE & BELMONT:
maidenheadcentralnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
NO CRIME TO REPORT
 
 
MAIDENHEAD WEST
BISHAM, COOKHAM, HURLEY, THE WALTHAMS, LITTLEWICK GREEN & KNOWL HILL:
Your Neighbourhood Page on TVP's Website - Click Here
26/11  Tuesday 12.30 p.m. / 9.30 p.m.  King’s Lane, Cookham Dean.  Burglary.  Entry via forced rear window.  Untidy search.  Offenders have made off taking nothing – they may have been disturbed.
24/11 – 26/11  Sunday 4 p.m. / Tuesday 9 p.m.  Sheepcote Lane.  Shed break – door forced open – unknown if anything stolen.
27/11  Wednesday 5.30 a.m. / 5.45 a.m.  Farm, Twyford Road, Waltham St. Lawrence.  Garage break.  Offender arrived by bike, climbed over the fence and forced open the side door of a garage.  6 toolboxes then stacked by the fence to remove.  The owners were awoken by the sounds on the gravel and looked out.  The offender made off and the owner found the toolboxes.
 
PINKNEYS GREEN & FURZE PLATT:
maidenheadwestnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
NO CRIME TO REPORT
 
MAIDENHEAD SOUTH
BOYN HILL, COX GREEN & WOODLANDS PARK:
maidenheadsouthnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
Your Neighbourhood Page on TVP's Website - Click Here
25/11  Monday 8 p.m. / 11.20 p.m.  White Paddock, Woodlands Park.  Burglary.  Entry via forced ground floor window – untidy search – not known if anything stolen.
 
OLDFIELD & BRAY:
maidenheadsouthnhpt@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
26/11  Tuesday 4 p.m. / 8 p.m.  Bray Road, Bray. Traffic measuring equipment damaged.  The strips across the road have been cut.
 
 
MEMBERS’ COMMENTS:
Dear Jeff
I received an Email from BT a couple of days ago that seemed to be an invitation to upgrade the speed and volume, permitted by my broadband, which is supplied by them.
What puzzled me, was a statement that said 'last month you got a bit close to your monthly usage limit'.  I telephoned BT and was told:  first, my average use was only a quarter of that permitted;  second, BT had sent me no emails since May;  third, it must be a scam and lastly - other people had received these messages.
 
I hesitate to ask you to add this to the warnings as the BT lady might have been mistaken and it is actually an attempt by BT to encourage sales, but you might check with your experts, who might ask BT again ?
 
The heading to the Email is 'Action required. Update your details'
Obviously I did not click on anything. I still have the Email and can forward it if needed but am not doing so, in case it gets activated by mistake.
In passing, I had today a call 'from Microsoft about the computer'. I had no doubts about this one.
Yours
David
 
Thanks David – we have all been warned.
 
Just to add, the Chinese scam letters from Mr Hua Hin in Hong Kong have been arriving by the hundred over the last few weeks.  You can either bin them, or report them to Actionfraud:
If you want to report a fraud, please call 0300 123 2040, or visit the Action Fraud website at www.actionfraud.police.uk
 
Hi Jeff:
 
Just had a call from "Randy" at Windows help desk advising me that my computer was sending out error and infected files reports, and I needed to
have this problem dealt with, otherwise I would be responsible for damage to any other computers I may infect from now on !
 
When I told "Randy" my computer had just been stolen, and requested his help to locate it's whereabouts as he was obviously tracking it somehow, he
terminated the call, I wonder why ??
 
Denis
 
Just do what Ann does:
 
Tell everyone to do as I do, simply say I don't have a computer. One is more likely to be removed from lists, than if one just says no interest.
 
Ann
 
Excellent advice Ann !  The simplest answer is usually the best.
 
Next the Delivery scams are still rife out there:
 
Hi jeff – this just came in, but my anti Virus software picked it up as containing a Trojan !  I have removed the attachment with the problem.
 
‘Dear customer,
We attempted to deliver your item at 10:10 a.m. on November 24^th, 2013.  The delivery attempt failed because nobody was present at the shipping address, so this notify has been automatically sent.....................
Reg
As we get nearer to Christmas – this will happen more and more.
COLD CALLERS ON THE PHONE:
 
Hi Jeff,
I had a call this morning on my home phone, addressing me by name.  It may be entirely legitimate, or may not ...
“We are a local company looking to expand our business and are offering to clean 2 carpets + hall or stairs at a discounted price of £(can’t remember but quite a lot reduced).  Most people choose lounge and dining room as these are heavy traffic areas etc... Which 2 carpets would you think of having cleaned ?”
I replied “None thank you” and put the phone down, but I was probably silly to let her get as far as that in the conversation.
I suddenly appreciated the security risk and realised I would be inviting an unknown person into my home, for several hours work.
 
You are keeping us all on our toes!
Regards
 
Ann
 
Well done Ann.  Eventually, you hear that little voice inside your head, which says – ‘that man who sends the messages, says I shouldn’t be doing this’ !  That gives you the strength, to just put the phone down.  The caller won’t be offended, they will just get the computer to ring the next 10 numbers in the phone book.  They will speak to the first one to pick up – the other nine will ring until that moment, then stop – hence all those silent calls we all receive !
 
Another scam email in from Chris
 
Dea Sir/Ma.
 
I give my sincere apology for intruding into your privacy, I am pleased to get across to you for a very confidential and profitable business proposal which I will give but brief until I get your response then only I will be able to provide you with full details. An American/Iraqi Foreign Oil Consultant...........
 
Surely there cannot be anyone left out there that would fall for these now ???