Reported Incidents During the Last Month

WELCOME TO THE FEBRUARY EDITION.

REPORTED INCIDENTS DURING THE LAST MONTH

15/01/2016 - 15/02/2016

44160024467 – CRIMINAL DAMAGE: 17/01/2016: A boat moored at East Cowes Marina had two of its plastic windows slashed by person/s unknown.

44160027430 – THEFT: 19/01/2016: A “Blue Line Tanden” 4 wheeled trailer had been stolen from a business on the outskirts of Newport.

44160031242 – BURGLARY OTHER THAN IN A DWELLING: 21/01/2016:

Persons unknown have gained access to a secured tack room and taken two head collars. The collars were later located in a field close by.

44160033948 – CRIMINAL DAMAGE: 23/01/2016: Someone has tried to force the lock off a tack room on the outskirts of Yarmouth.

44160035371 – CRIMINAL DAMAGE: 24/01/2016: The magazine hoist door on a gun emplacement on Culver down has been forced open. No other damage was found.

44160036593 – THEFT – 25/01/2016: A Mercury outboard was stolen from a moored boat in Bembridge Harbour.

44160042631- SUSPICIOUS INCIDENT: 28/01/2016: Rogue traders have been advertising garden services on the island. Police have been contacted after a neighbour became suspicious after two Irish males carried out some tree worked for a large amount of money. Males were located the following day and details were passed to Trading Standards for further investigations.

44160045333 – CRIMINAL DAMAGE- 30/01/2016: Person unknown has caused damage to a dinghy in Ryde Harbour.

44160050027 – BURGLARY OTHER THAN IN A DWELLEING - 02/02/2016:

A storeroom was broken into on a small holding in Blackwater. A De Walt drill charger & batteries, also a petrol EFCO strimmer was taken.

44160052290 – THEFT- 03/02/2016: A “Brian James Clubman 185” trailer has been stolen from a rural business on the outskirts of Newport.

44160053106 – SUSPICIOUS INCIDENT – 04/02/2016: A horse owner has contacted the Police to report that someone has let out her horses from their stable. Luckily the horses were still safe as they are enclosed in a field.

44160059364 – THEFT – 09/02/2016: A petrol lawn mower was stolen from a barn in the Bembridge area.

44160066308 – ASB NUISANCE – 14/02/2016: A Country Watch member has contacted the Police to report 5 lads on motor bikes on their way up to the Tennyson Trail.

ARE YOUR COUNTRY WATCH SIGNS LOOKING A LITTLE WORSE FOR WEAR?

Please contact us if you are in need of any more Country Watch signs to replace any deteriorated ones. Our contact details are available on the last page of this newsletter.

Warning!!!!!

Please be aware that there has been a spate of Thefts from motor vehicles across the Isle of Wight. The vehicles that are being targeted are FORD TRANSIT VANSand FORD CONNECT VANS.

Tools have been reported as being stolen from these vans which have been left parked securely. It is likely the thieves have a 'tool' which can allow them to access and lock the vehiclesleavingno signs of forced entry.
Would theowners of the above vehicles please consider emptying andcleaning their vehicles to increase forensic potential should they become a victim of this crime.

Please read our advice below:

Park your vehicle in a secure area (in a garage or behind locked gates, if possible).

If you can’t, park in a well-lit street in easy view of your own or neighbours’ houses.

Where possible, remove valuable items from the vehicle overnight and store them in a secure place.

Do not leave tools or equipment on view inside the vehicle.

Consider fitting an appropriate alarm system, protecting the cabin and load areas.

Apply a security marking product to power tools and equipment (further details available on request). Alternatively, etch or emboss identifiable marks to these items.

Consider installing secure storage containers or lockers in the van to store tools in.

Ensure that the van doors are securely lockable and consider having suitable deadlocks installed.

Make sure to physically check that the van doors and windows are locked if you have used the remote to lock the vehicle, even if the feedback indicates the van as locked.

When visiting businesses, try to park close to the entrance, preferably in the view of CCTV cameras.

Log your property for free at www.immobilise.com

IMPORTANT REMINDER:

If you need to report a crime, please ring 101 for all non-emergency calls or 999 for all emergency calls. Please DO NOT contact our individual mobiles or email us if you are reporting a crime. This is in case we are off duty or unable to answer your call or reply to your email. We are happy to take routine calls and enquiries by mobile phone.

Polite message in regards to livestock

If you own sheep/cows/chickens etc, please make sure they are properly secured.

It would be extremely helpful if you could let us know where your livestock is kept.

That way when we are called to escaped livestock on the road we know who to contact straight away.

Please find our contact details on the last page of the newsletter.

Trading Standards

The Isle of Wight Council’s Trading Standards Service is warning island consumers and businesses to beware of rogue traders cold-calling and offering to carry out various home improvements work, including: gardening, home improvements, cleaning roofs and driveways. This warning comes following reports of cold-callers offering to tarmac driveways in the early part of January.

The rogue traders stated that they were working with Island Roads on repairs to Wootton Bridge and had some spare tarmac left over. This is not the case. Island Roads do not offer any such service or use contractors in this manner.

Mark Roberts, Island Roads Asset Manager said: “Island Roads does not ‘doorstep sell’. Any materials used on the Island’s roads is carefully accounted for and used solely across the scope of our work. If you are in any doubt about the legitimacy of anyone claiming to work for or with us, please contact our call centre immediately on 822440 or, alternatively, contact Trading Standards on 823371.”

These rogue traders often call on vulnerable and elderly residents, but businesses should also be vigilant, as some calls were made at business premises.

Councillor Phil Jordan, Executive Member with responsibility for Trading Standards, said: “Island residents should always be very wary of rogue traders who will cold-call, as in our experience they are often unqualified conmen who will overcharge for unnecessary repairs/services, which will be of poor quality.

“Residents should be extremely careful before even discussing any work that any trader may suggest requires doing, and never pay upfront to a cold-caller. If you require work doing to your home always try to obtain at least two written quotes.”

We are committed, with the support of the Police, to protect Island residents and will take enforcement action, including prosecution, against rogue traders as required. In December 2015, two rogue tree surgeons were ordered to pay total fines of £600, costs of £750, a criminal court charge of £180 and a surcharge of £20 each in Newport Magistrates Court following Trading Standards and Police investigation and prosecution. This was after admitting engaging in a commercial practice which was aggressive, failing to inform the victim of their right to cancel the contract and engaging in a commercial practice which was misleading”.

Legislation protecting consumers requires legitimate ‘cold-callers’ to give consumers a ‘Cancellation Notice’ giving them 14 days to cancel any contract made for more than £42. Failure to issue a cancellation notice in the correct manner is a criminal offence.”

Trading Standards operates a trader approval scheme where local traders are vetted for compliance with consumer legislation. For further information on our Buy with Confidence scheme, please contact 823000 or look at our website (www.iwight.com/bwc). Please be vigilant if you have elderly or vulnerable neighbours and report your concerns to the Police or the Trading Standards Service.

Upcoming Country Watch events:

We will be available to speak to at the following upcoming events.

27th of February

Hedge laying competition

Parkdown Barns, Calbourne Road, Newport, PO30 4HP

(Half a mile west of the Blacksmiths Arms,

On the opposite side of the road)

21st of May

River fest

Newport Quay

3rd of July

The Horse & Country Charity Show.

Sunnyside Farm, Whitwell

EQUINE & COUNTRY WATCH

BEAT SURGERY

2nd WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH

12.00 TO 13.00

MOLE VALLEY COUNTRY STORE

(Formally known as SCATS)

If you have any equine issues or concerns, come in for a chat and we will try to help.

We also offer free tack marking (only leather tack).

We can take your details and come to your yard or home to do the tack marking.

As a result from the national Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) Rural Crime Seminar held last year we now have purchased a variety of security products from Solon Security. Solon Security are a Secured by Design Award Company specialising in security products such as alarms, padlocks, deterrent signs, door locks etc. These products are ready to be sold to our Country Watch members at cost price (i.e. at the price we have paid) and all money raised will then go back into purchasing more equipment for use by the rural community.

If anyone is looking for a specific type of security product please get in touch and we will try and point you in the right direction.

Here are the products we have available at this time:

CREMARK KIT: £12.00

CREMARK KITS – A system which permanently marks property, such as, farm equipment, garden tools, hand tools, power tools, lawn mowers and many other items.

PERMANENT UV PEN: £1.00

4MM PERMANENT UV PEN – Permanently marks property with a clear UV ink making valuables easy to identify under a UV light if stolen.

PROPERTY MARKING KIT: £ 1.00

PROPERTY MARKING KIT – This kit provides everything required to mark and log your property. The kit includes, a UV marker pen, a set of laminate labels, a set of highly durable warning stickers and instructions, such as laptops, jewellery, iPods, mobile phones, tools and many other items.

WARNING SIGNS: 50p

WARNING SIGNS – Stickers are a great way to support crime prevention, simple warning signs can, and on their own be enough to deter opportunist thieves.

PADLOCK ALARM: £ 10.00

PADLOCK ALARM – A burglary deterrent padlock that is alarmed with a powerful 110dBs siren. Features include shock and movement sensor, keyed operation, battery powered (batteries included) and weather resistant body.

PACK OF 2 x WARNING SIGNS, UV MARKER PEN AND PROPERTY MARKING KIT FOR: £ 2.50

We will have the items available to purchase at the shows we attend or please feel free to contact us and we can arrange to bring the items to you. Please email us to discuss the items available at , and mark in the subject line IOW, or contact any of the team members on the below numbers.

TEAM CONTACT DETAILS:

ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTRY WATCH TEAM

PC 22839 TIM CAMPANY: 07901102393

PCSO 13341 JUSTIN KEEFE: 07901102302

PS 24205 MARK LYTH: 07901102396

PCSO 13231 CAT QUINN: 07901102366

EQUINE LIASION OFFICER:

PCSO 13129 KAREN ALLEN: 07901102376

Email: