A GOOD 48 HOURS - NO BURGLARIES TO REPORT !
FIRST:- Is there any value to actually being a member of a live NHW scheme ? If you are not already a member of a scheme and have not thought about setting up your own scheme - why should you bother ?
This is what happened this week, to a scheme, which was fairly active, aware and alert ! You may not be a member of a NHW scheme, but just receives Thames Valley Alert messages - that’s fine, we are happy to support you in any way we can, but think about the benefits of everyone in your road, knowing what you know, receiving the police support that you receive, being crime prevention informed and therefore alert to what is going on and what to consider suspicious and worth reporting the police. If not just acquisitive crime generally, but also frauds and scams. NHW has always worked on the principal that communities work better, if they work together - a whole street of eyes and ears, who know what to look out for - is much better protection than a single pair of eyes, who is often at work - and therefore not at home, watching what is going on. You watch out for your neighbours if they are not at home and in return, they watch out for you ! Mutual responsibility. It makes everyone safer in your community. This was one street's experience this week - of working together. Just to add, it is a very long road and before the scheme was set up, one end had little contact with the other !
HI
It is with considerable pleasure that I am sending you this note for your Alerts.
As Chairman of Maidenhead Police Area Neighbourhood Watch Association and as the NHW Scheme Coordinator of the street concerned I feel it important that this story is publicised as it shows, brilliantly, how Neighbourhood Watch can interface with Thames Valley Police to bring increased security and peace of mind to a community and, in this case, the bonus of securing an arrest and a court appearance for the miscreant concerned.
Our chain of events began in the early hours of Wednesday morning when, at 2 am, a resident of the street disturbed a thief breaking into one of her cars on the drive. The man ran off when she shouted. The Police attended and carried out an area search but no one was located.
Many of our residents have been encouraged to install video doorbells / CCT and the coverage is, as a result, almost continuous along our lengthy avenue.
During the ensuing hours, not only were increased Police patrols witnessed but our determined criminal foolishly returned and was recorded trying and interfering with a number of other cars.
He stupidly left one of his gloves in one car (duly recorded) and a few houses later the genius managed to leave his now un-gloved hand palm print on another car (entry also recorded on CCTV).
All residents were alerted around 7.30am and asked to check their footage and a further number came forward with images and information. The man was seen to try many other vehicles and a considerable picture was built up.
Our local Maidenhead Police Team members attended, collected the evidence on USB sticks etc., and took statements. Subsequently, we were informed that a person had been taken into custody for the crimes!
To our joy, later that day the following post appeared in TVP Windsor & Maidenhead Facebook - entered by one of the TVP team attending !
‘’Yesterday (16//09/2020) your Tasking team arrested a male in the Maidenhead area for 3 theft from motor vehicle offences and 2 counts of breaching a Criminal Behaviour Order. Eagle eyed residents that are all part of Neighbourhood Watch discovered a male entering cars on their street in the early hours of the morning, the street which is well equipped with CCTV was soon working together to provide police with the evidence we needed to secure an arrest. Sgt Powell of the Windsor & Maidenhead Police Tasking Team then sprang into action making the arrest and securing a Charge. The male has now been remanded and is awaiting Court later today. This is a great example of the work neighbourhood watch do and the effect each of us in the community can have to make our streets a safer place.’’
This was a particularly satisfying end to what is frequently a harrowing and distasteful experience but it shows that, when a community is fully aware of the need to be on its guard, takes precautions, such as having video doorbells / CCTV and is properly organised and able to look after itself then the consequent quality of life is so much better and more secure.
This can be done if a solid Neighbourhood Watch Scheme is in place and good relations are established and maintained with our partners in Thames Valley Police.
I would therefore encourage everyone to join a scheme or help to form one.
I am here to help with this if you are interested and would like to find out more. My email is below and at the end of this message.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the members of Rushington Area NHW Scheme for their tremendous reaction and community spirit demonstrated on this occasion.
Thank you
John Diack
Johndiack@hotmail.com That’s why you should consider joining or setting up a NHW scheme !
CRIME
I have attached reference numbers to each crime report. If you live in the vicinity of any of the crimes mentioned and have CCTV or a video doorbell, can you please check the footage. If you have any that might be of interest to the police, can you please make contact with us, quoting reference number given.
I have added a new email address below. The first email address is directly to your local Neighbourhood Team. The second is to our investigation team. Please use it to send any intelligence / video doorbell / CCTV footage you may have, which is relevant to any of the crimes lists below - quoting the reference number.
Alternatively you can call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or email -
www.crimestoppers-uk.org MAIDENHEAD CENTRAL:
maidenheadcentralgeographical@thamesvalley.pnn.police.ukSR.windsor&
maidenhead@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk16/9 Wednesday 2 a.m. / 3 a.m. Market Street. The owner of a car heard noises in the night of a fight going on outside. In the morning, they discovered their car had been damaged. Ref. No: 43200291281. If anyone has any video doorbell footage / CCTV of this incident, it would be really useful to the police. Please send it to the SR email above along with the reference number.
17/9 Thursday midnight / 11.15 a.m. Grenfell Road. CAR ENTERED BY UNKNOWN MEANS - Parking permit and loose change stolen. Ref. No: 43200292124
RIVERSIDE & BELMONT:
NO CRIME TO REPORT.
MAIDENHEAD WEST
maidenheadwestgeographical@thamesvalley.pnn.police.ukSR.windsor&
maidenhead@thamesvalley.pnn.police.ukBISHAM,
COOKHAM, HURLEY, THE WALTHAMS, LITTLEWICK GREEN & KNOWL HILL:
17/9 Thursday 10.05 a.m. Pub / restaurant car park, Sutton Road, Cookham. Attempted break in to a car. The offender was disturbed and made off. Ref. No: 43200292935
16/9 Wednesday 3.45 p.m. Pub / restaurant car park, Moneyrow Green. 2 men entered the rear of the property and were disturbed removing used cooking oil. When challenged, they produced a letterhead saying they represented the proper collection company. When it was pointed out the aggrieved di not use that company, they offered to buy the oil. When this offer was refused the men made off. Ref. No: 43200292895
PINKNEYS GREEN & FURZE PLATT:
NO CRIME TO REPORT.
MAIDENHEAD SOUTH
maidenheadsouthgeographical@thamesvalley.pnn.police.ukSR.windsor&
maidenhead@thamesvalley.pnn.police.ukBOYN HILL, COX GREEN & WOODLANDS PARK:
NO CRIME TO REPORT.
OLDFIELD, BRAY & HOLYPORT:
16/9 Wednesday 3.58 a.m. Rushington Avenue. Please see the report from John Diack the Chair of the Maidenhead NHW Association above. The police report is brilliant, as a result of the evidence supplied to them by the residents in that road. When watching the video and CCTV evidence supplied, they identified the offender and carried out an area search to locate him. He was located nearby. He was bare chested and had removed his distinctive jacket and shirt, which he had in a bag, he was carrying. He was arrested on suspicion of theft from a motor vehicle. Well done that road. The police would like to thank all those involved for gathering together all the necessary evidence. Ref. No: 43200291614
