Malmesbury Town and Surrounding Villages
Neighbourhood Watch News
January 2005

Dear Residents,

Happy New Year to you All, it all seems so long ago now doesn’t it?? We are already looking towards Easter; I don’t know where the time goes.

Reported crime for January has been relatively low thankfully. We have in recent weeks had some caravan’s stolen and I can’t stress enough how popular this seems to have become. Please take all measures possible when securing your caravan. Particularly if kept on you driveway, thieves can fairly easily remove wheel clamps so please take care as to not make it too easy for them.

We have also been relatively quiet with regards to our Distraction burglaries however I do know that other towns are still being hit and it is only a matter of time before they decide to spend the day in the Malmesbury area again. Water board officials still seems to be the favourite ploy, I suspect this is because they can trick you into staying by a running tap thereby keeping you busy and also drowning out any noise that they make (excuse the pun), but they do also quote the gas board often knowing that a possible gas leak will also spur people into action. Obviously we do want to let legitimate tradesman do their jobs but please check I/D and check with their companies.

We hope to hold an Area Coordinator meeting to discuss practical issues and hope to have a boardroom style meeting. I would like to ask all Area Coordinators if anyone would be able to supply a venue (preferably free!) for us to hold the meeting, there will be about 20 of us and dates that we have looked at are Wed 2nd March, Wed 9th March or Tues 15th March. If anyone can help with a venue please can they contact either myself or Kate Turner our Crime Reduction Officer at Melksham on 01249 449663. Once we have a venue I will contact all Area Coordinators and let you know and look forward to seeing you all there.

My final plea this month is nothing to do with Neighbourhood Watch but just to remind you all about driving conditions particularly at this time of year. When driving to work I always check out the weather and know before I even get here that I can expect to attend a couple of accidents on my shift. Some of our roads around Malmesbury are not the easiest to drive on so please remember to take care and watch your speed as I prefer to meet you all at our meetings rather than at the side of the road or in a hedge!!

And so to January’s crimes:-

MALMESBURY TOWN

Between 2230 and 2300 on 31 Dec a bunch of house keys were removed from a handbag which had been placed on the floor of the Whole Hog. Cost incurred £35.00.

Between 1st and 7 Jan a secure vehicle was scratched on both sides in Burnham Road causing £1000 damage.
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At 2250 on 5 Jan offender kicked doors, without success, of a Unit in Charlton Business Park, Crudwell Road. He then put a brick through a window to gain entry and stole items valued £12,000. An Estate car or similar vehicle was possibly used.

At 2209 on 5 Jan a car windscreen was broken in Newton Grove, causing £300 damage

At 0215 on 9 Jan a vehicle was used to ram doors at Malmesbury Motors in Crudwell Road and a large quantity of cigarettes, valued £2000, stolen from within. 3 men were arrested and detained following pursuit by Police Officers along M4 which resulted in Police vehicles being rammed before they were finally nabbed in Bristol.

Between 1900 on 10 Jan and 0830 on 11 Jan a vehicle sustained scuffing and dents in Hudson Road. Damage incurred £2000.

EASTON GREY, SHERSTON, LUCKINGTON

Between 16 Dec and 2 Jan items valued £395 were stolen from the Spar Health Club at Whatley Manor.

Between 1800 on 6 Jan and 0300 on 7 Jan an attempt was made to break 5 Padlocks on a shed in Easton Grey - £60 damage incurred.

At 21.58 on 6 Jan a room above a garage in Sopworth Road, Sherston was accessed by an offender using a metal bar (left in the vicinity) to break glass in top of door. An attempt had also been made to force another door.

At 0100 on 7 Jan a secure vehicle was broken into at Whatley Manor. A car stereo and other items, total value £750 were stolen.

Between 9 and 15 Jan hay bales were removed from an open barn in Church Road, Luckington – value £80.

LITTLE SOMERFORD AND GREAT SOMERFORD

At 1715 on 1 Jan an offender entered through an insecure rear door of a kitchen in Great Somerford. A handbag and contents, value £200, was stolen.

Between 3 Jan and 18 Jan 30 bales of straw were removed from a field in Little Somerford – value £200.

BRINKWORTH, MINETY AND LEA

Between 1600 on 31 Dec and 0900 on 1 Jan offender deliberately drove across playing field causing damage to pitch and colliding with wooden shed in Hornbury Hill, Minety. Damage incurred £100.

Between 1540 and 1700 on 4 Jan offender tried to pull wiper off a car in School Hill, Brinkworth.

At 03.27 on 9 Jan offenders were stopped on a moped by police officers and arrested for taking a vehicle without consent at Lea – value £400.

Between 1600 and 1830 on 9 Jan offender opened a secure front door of premises in School Hill, Brinkworth without causing damage. No sign of entry and nothing missing.

Between 1845 on 13 Jan and 0700 on 14 Jan an offender used bodily force to damage Company signage at Classic Windows in Station Road, Minety. Damage incurred £100.

Between 2230 on 28 Jan and 0830 on 29 Jan a wheel clamp was removed and two caravan wheels stolen from a caravan in the Street, Brinkworth – value £500.

KEMBLE, OAKSEY, AND CRUDWELL

Between midnight and 0700 on 6 Jan doors were forced on an industrial unit in Kemble and large items were stolen – value £1000. A large vehicle, possibly a Transit would have been used.

Between 0800 and 1800 on 8 Jan an offender attended a house in Bendy Bow, Oaksey purporting to be a plumber working at nearby premises and asked to remain in the bathroom to watch the colour of the water from the bath tap. The owner did not let the offender out of his sight and nothing was taken.

Between 1900 and 2000 on 22 Jan a mobile phone, value £150 was removed from a person’s back pocket in the Darts area of the Plough Inn in Crudwell.

Well that concludes January’s crimes, please feel free to contact me or any of the officers at Malmesbury Police Station with any concerns or queries that you may have. A reminder of our number 01666 822222.

Regards

Michelle Weston
Wpc995