Dec 8, 2015

Bottesford NHW Alert: 4x4 Thefts / Speeding on Barkestone Lane / Elderly Targeted By Fake Police Officers

4x4 Thefts
Professional thieves are targeting Landrover Defenders in the area by removing headlights and rear windows and disabling the alarms and immobilisers. Owners should be extra vigilant and take extra precautions to secure their vehicles.
 
Speeding on Barkestone Lane
NHW has received a number of complaints from residents about the excessive speeds of some vehicles using Barkestone Lane. The following is an extract from one such complaint:
 
"I wonder if we could remind people that this is a residential road with pets, children, mums of pre-school toddlers, cyclists, and residents all using it and that if this continues, I for one will be noting registrations and reporting them to the police.  I also see near misses as a result of speeding, combined with poor parking at school collection time.  It really is only a matter of time before a child gets knocked down because of cars parking on the verges and blocking the access and visibility to pavement dropped curb crossing points - one outside the Primary School alley and the other a little further up outside the Primary School playing field."
 
This does appear to be an accident waiting to happen and NHW is taking this up with the Police and the Parish Council. Vehicle drivers using Barkestone Lane are asked to respect the speed limit and be aware of the potential hazards in this environment.
 
Elderly Targeted By Fake Police Officers
There has been a recent series of incidents where fraudsters have phoned or visited elderly members of the public, claiming to be police officers.

The fake officer/s will claim that they are investigating a fraud which they believe the elderly person to be a victim of. The fake officer/s will then request the bank cards and personal identification numbers (PIN) of the victim and claim these are needed for investigation purposes. If the first contact was made by a phone call, the fake officer/s will tell the victim that someone will be over to collect the evidence.
In one case the victim was instructed to attend their local bank and withdraw all of the money from their account. The suspect was left alone in the victim's house whilst the victim carried out the instructions.
 
Protect Yourself
  • Before letting anyone into your home who claims to be from any law enforcement agency, ask to see their identity card and check it by calling 101.
  • Ask if they can attend at a pre-arranged time when a family member or friend can also be present.
  • If you receive a phone call from a police officer,  ask for their name and force and tell them you will call them back. Wait a few minutes and then use 101 to call them back through their force's switchboard and verify their identity. Ensure the telephone line has cleared down from the previous call before dialling i.e a dialling tone can be heard
  • The Police will never ask for your PIN or passwords. Do not give this information to anyone.
  • The Police will never request that you withdraw/transfer any money to them.
If you believe that you have been a victim of fraud you can report it online http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/report_fraud or by telephone 0300 123 2040.
 
John Shilton
Principal NHW Co-ordinator
Bottesford Parish NHW
JohnS@BottesfordParishNHW.org.uk
Mobile: 07725636626

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