FIRST: Two car park scams to be aware of:
17/1 Monday 12 noon. Supermarket Car Park, Dedworth Road, Windsor. The aggrieved left the shop with her shopping. She was approached by a man who said there was a trolley nearby, it was full of shopping and wondered if it was hers. She went to look and when she turned back, there was a man in the passenger seat of her car rifling through. She had nothing in the car and shouted "Thief". They immediately ran off. Nothing stolen. Ref. No: 43220023308
17/1 West Street Car Park, Maidenhead. The aggrieved was at the pay machine for the car park and had inserted his card which appeared to have been retained. A man and a woman came up to assist him. They asked him for his account and PIN number so that they could see if they could get it to work. Eventually the aggrieved realised he was being scammed and the pair made off. They are described as: 1 A woman of mixed race in her 40s, smartly dressed wearing a white jumper and hat. 2 A man of mixed race wearing a Barbour style jacket. This is an old scam. The scammers insert a sleeve into the machine, held in place with small metal grips. If a card is inserted into the ATM, it slips inside the sleeve and the machine cannot read it so does nothing. It is not retained by the machine and after the scammers have persuaded the victim that all is OK the card is safe and to leave, they retrieve the card and sleeve. By then of course they have obtained the PIN and other details and start to with draw cash from the account. If you feel this is happening, run your finger over the card slot. It should be metallic and smooth. If you feel the grips, DO NOT INSERT YOUR CARD. Walk away and contact the bank / shop.
NEXT: More reports of a man dropping off leaflets through doors, then calling on houses to buy unwanted gold / jewellery. This time in Lyndhurst Road, Cookham.
Please – do not deal with anyone who calls at your door – cold callers ! One of our callers followed up the leaflet and googled the name on the flyer, of the business the man purported to represent. There were no details available. This is more than likely a scam. You invite him into you. r home and show him your unwanted gold and jewellery. He offers a ridiculously low price and leaves – BUT – he has been inside your home, knows the layout and – seen the jewellery you wanted to sell – which is inside your home.
Please remember the NHW motto:
I do not buy goods or services at the door
AND
No-one comes into your home unless you know them – or they have made an appointment
YOU KNOW IT MAKES SENSE
NEXT: I attended a meeting yesterday with Caroline Waites from ‘Speaking Out’. This is a group that supports adults over 18 years old, with a learning disability.
Melissa Whitley from Supported Learning Employment, made a presentation, outlining the services available to adults with Learning Disability and their families. They aim to find paid employment, as well as work experience, for those with a learning disability.
Support Employment Services:
Once someone referred feels that they can do a job by themselves, their Job Coach will keep in touch, to make sure everything is going well.
They can help by talking to an employer, if there are any problems.
If you would like support with finding work, volunteering or training please contact:
OptalisEmployment.Service@RBWM.gov.ukTel: 01628 685 777
The Optalis Employment Service RBWM / Optalis accept referrals through Adult Social Care. Self-referral through Optalis at the RBWM website.
They have ‘Job Coaches’ and an ‘Ability Travel Programme’. The Job Coach organises a one to one meeting, to see if there is an opportunity for independent work and travel to and from work. They will assist with obtaining bus or train passes. If the person is unable to travel independently, they will assist with an application for government funding, under ‘Access to Work’, which will then pay for Taxis.
Ability to travel to work:
Step 1. The first step is to make an appointment to talk with one of their ‘Ability Coaches’ about the journey and what travelling experience they have.
Step 2. Practice the route, road safety and timetables
Step 3. The Ability Coach will help plan the best route to help reach the destination and talk about safety on public transport / walking / cycling
Step 4. The next session will involve recognising parts of the route
Step 5. Continue to practice the route, building confidence, knowledge of the route and then leading the Ability Coach, through the route.
Step 6. Finally, practising alternate routes, problem solving and becoming confident to use the phone and Travel training Plan.
These people are really committed to providing a brilliant level of support.
NEXT: From Liz Crathorne, who is the secretary of the WEA – Adult Learning Within Reach.
Dear Jeff,
I am part of a small group of volunteers organizing adult education classes in Maidenhead with the WEA.
WEA is a charity putting on courses all over the UK. You were kind enough to put details of one of our courses in your Alert message last term, which resulted in a couple of new students enrolling.
I would be grateful if you would put details of our course Aspects of Prehistory being held at St Marks Methodist Church, Allenby Road, Maidenhead SL6 5BE. It starts on Thursday 3 March for 5 weeks, 10.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. looking at each of the epochs of prehistory from the Stone Age to the Ages of Bronze and Iron.
There will be lots of artefacts for students to handle. Details of this and other courses can be found on
www.wea.org.uk (Find a Course and put Maidenhead in the search box).
Please contact Liz Crathorne at
weamaidenhead@hotmail.com for more information.
Many thanks
Liz
Secretary, WEA Maidenhead Branch
Have a look at the website – it looks really interesting !!
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.
Alternatively you can call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or email -
www.crimestoppers-uk.orgMAIDENHEAD CENTRAL:
maidenheadcentralgeographical@thamesvalley.police.ukNO CRIME TO REPORT.
RIVERSIDE & BELMONT:
NO CRIME TO REPORT.
MAIDENHEAD WEST
maidenheadwestgeographical@thamesvalley.police.ukBISHAM, COOKHAM, HURLEY, THE WALTHAMS, LITTLEWICK GREEN & KNOWL HILL:
NO CRIME TO REPORT.
PINKNEYS GREEN & FURZE PLATT:
NO CRIME TO REPORT.
MAIDENHEAD SOUTH
maidenheadsouthgeographical@thamesvalley.police.ukBOYN HILL, COX GREEN & WOODLANDS PARK
NO CRIME TO REPORT.
OLDFIELD, BRAY & HOLYPORT:
18/1 Tuesday 10.50 a.m. Longleat Gardens. Block of garages on Lexington Avenue broken into. The aggrieved noticed that his garage door was open so went to check. He saw a van parked in front of his van. There were offenders inside the garage. The aggrieved asked what they were doing - the offenders immediately made off, got into their car and left at speed. The garage was entered by unknown means as there was no damage and nothing appears to have been taken.as been stolen. Ref. No: 43220024850
18/1 Tuesday 7 a.m. badger Close. The owner heard a loud bang and found a hole in a window, they think was from an airgun pellet. Ref. No; 43220015033
