Police News

NW & Police News-Sheet 16th November 2012.

All Coordinators are asked to please pass this message on to all of your NW members & local residents. This mail is from the Community Safety Office at Basingstoke Police Station in the interest of public information. Please note – The author cannot always action feedback on these issues. Please report anything suspicious by telephoning 101. Remember your call does count

Domestic heating oil thefts.

Thefts are being reported in rural areas of thousands of litres of heating oil being stolen from outdoor tanks. Please make sure that yours is properly secure and report any instances or information to the police straight away. Look out for unknown vehicles etc that may be used in such incidents and include details in any report to the police.

I’ve run out of petrol – SCAM.

Beware of being flagged down by Asians with apparently broken down cars, claiming to be out of petrol and asking for money.

The best advice is never to stop for such incidents, however much you might want to feel sorry for them.

Child Abduction reports.

Despite what may be reported on Social Media websites, we currently have no reports of this activity in our borough. We would still advise parents to make sure their children stay safe when out alone.

Theft from Cars

There have been incidents of handbags, wallets and purses being stolen from cars in the Basingstoke area. These are most likely opportunist thieves looking for valuables to steal, so Please don’t make their life easy.

Don’t leave ANY valuables on view in your car and always make sure the vehicle is properly locked and any alarm set, even if just calling at a friend/colleague or neighbour for a very short visit.

This is especially important as we approach the Christmas season.

Rogue Traders & Cold Callers

There are still instances being reported to the police about the activities of these persons. Please make sure that you always use a recommended trader and not someone who appears on your doorstep. If in any doubt about any Cold Calling trader, contact Hampshire Trading Standards Quick Response Team on 01962 833666. Also the police would appreciate the details, especially descriptions of persons and vehicles, being reported straight away via 101. Unwanted callers are required to leave your premises once told to go away. Their failure to do so is against the law. You do not always have to be polite.

Telephone & Email Scams.

Remember that the Computer fault scammers have not gone away, and every day scammers find new & novel ways to try to deprive you of your money or to get your bank information. Often a quick ‘Google’ of their telephone number can reveal helpful information. The best advice is to never agree to anything from a telephone caller you do not know.

There are email scams doing the rounds including (1) You have won an iPad Mini (2) Malicious fake Lookout app from the Google Play store (3) British Airways e-ticket.zip Trojan (4) Fake Google emails about your YouTube videos. There are many useful websites for info on  scams such as http://www.urbanmyths.com  www.snopes.com plus www.actionfraud.police.uk to report scams, rip-offs, cons etc.

General Personal Security

With Christmas approaching, a timely reminder to take extra care of purses, wallets, cash, presents etc. Don’t let shopping distractions make you a victim of theft at this time of year. Simple precautions with your valuables are always worthwhile.