Sussex Police Chichester Neighbourhood Policing Team Weekly Update

20 March – 27 March

Where are your officers this week?

For your local officer’s contact details, information about local events and meetings and actions being taken regarding your priorities click on your ward below:

Chichester City / Chichester North / Chichester South
Chichester East / Chichester West / Bosham
BoxgroveLavant / Fishbourne / Funtington
Southbourne / Tangmere / Westbourne

Keep even more up to date with what’s happening in your local area here:

Twitter Facebook

News, Advice and Appeals

Sussex Police warn of email-based money laundering scam

Police in Sussex are warning students and other young people about the dangers of getting caught up in money laundering scams when they are making multiple job applications.

Detective Inspector Till Sanderson of the force's Economic Crime Unit said; "We have had two recent instances of young people supposedly being "employed" by companies in America and then being asked by them to transfer funds placed in their accounts, onward overseas.

"In both cases the people concerned thought they had been given genuine jobs and have just become suspicious later.

"This is a not a new fraud and it is an international issue which is not unique to Sussex. The last such case reported to us was a few years ago so to have two in a week or so is unusual. It is possible that the fraudsters are exploiting the difficult job market."

The incidents were reported by a Chichester man on 18 March and by a 21-year old Worthing woman on 10 March.

The man had accepted an apparent on-line job offer purporting to be from a promotions company in Florida, and forwarded on £3400 to an account in Turkey before his bank became suspicious.

The woman had accepted an on-line 'job' as a data inputter with a supposed New York City company, and had similarly forwarded on some £1710 to a Ukraine account before suspicions were aroused.

Police and anti-fraud experts advice great caution over unsolicited emails or approaches over social media promising opportunities to make easy money.

Verify any company that makes you a job offer and check their contact details (address, landline phone number, email address and website) are correct and whether they are registered in the UK.

Be especially wary of job offers from people or companies overseas as it will be harder for you to find out if they really are legitimate.

Never give your bank account details to anyone unless you know and trust them. Other signs that could indicate you are being targeted by a money mule scam:

Money mule adverts or offers can take a variety of different forms and they may even copy a genuine company's website and have a similar web address to make the scam seem authentic.

These adverts will normally state that they are an overseas company seeking 'UK representatives' or 'agents' to act on their behalf for a period of time, sometimes to avoid high transaction charges or local taxes.

The nature of the work that the company will claim to be involved in can vary, but the specifics of the job being advertised invariably mean using your bank account to move money.

The advert may be written in poor English with grammatical and spelling mistakes.

If you have already disclosed your bank account details or received money into your account and you think it could be a money mule scam, you should contact your bank immediately.
To report a fraud and receive a police crime reference number, call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040

For yet more advice on how the scam works and how to avoid being caught up in it see the Financial Fraud Action UK website at -

Crime Update

If you have seen or heard anything related to these incidents please contact Sussex Police here, email , call 101 or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

13 March – 20 March
Area / Ref / Date / Details
Chichester City / 0784 / 22/3 / John Rennie Road – Theft of Merida Matts 20 mountain bike from private underground car park. Bike chain was cut.
Chichester East / 0555 / 21/3 / Durnford close – Female knocked on the door purporting to be collecting for sponsorship. Asked for a glass water and to use the toilet. During this time over £200 was stolen from the occupant’s
purse. Female described as being aged between 20 – 25yrs old, short black hair, 5ft 3 and of a medium build.
0687 / 25/3 / Tangmere Road – front picket fence damaged, broken in several places. Overnight between 2200 – 0600hrs.
0615 / 25/3 / Bishop Road, Tangmere – 175 cartons of milk stolen between 0300 – 0400hrs.
Chichester South / 0294 / 21/3 / Hay road – criminal damage to property, eggs, flour and mayonnaise thrown to outside of house.
0982 / 25/3 / Whyke Marsh – Between 1530 25/3 and 1530 25/3 a stone has been thrown at a vehicle causing damage.
Chichester West / 1151 / 22/3 / Church Road, Westbourne – theft of planter containing plants from front step of home address.

Not sure how to find us online, want to comment on our updates or unsubscribe from this service?
Email:
Please do not reply to this email to report crimes or incidents... Contact us online or call 101 when it's less urgent than 999

Laura Marmolejo
Public Engagement Officer