Saturday, 28 January 2012

Trading Standards Update - 12/01/2012 & 26/01/12

12/01/2012 ‘Microsoft’ Scam Telephone Calls Target Business and Consumers

Have you received a phone call from Steve of Microsoft, happy to fix the ‘problem’ with your computer?

Then warn Warwickshire County Council’s Trading Standards Service, you are one of many Warwickshire consumers and businesses who have been targeted by this ‘computer fix’ scam.

The unexpected phone calls come from people who falsely claim to represent Microsoft. Recipients are told that there is a serious problem with their computer that needs’ fixing’. These claims are entirely bogus.

The phone calls are believed to originate from outside the UK and the callers use phone directories and marketing survey information to randomly target the unsuspecting consumer or business – they don’t even know if the recipient has a computer!

The caller asks the computer user to turn on their machine and give them remote access to it, so that the fictitious problem can be rectified.

Giving access to your computer to someone you don't know could lead to your PC becoming infected with viruses and other malware, or your personal or financial information being stolen and used fraudulently. Or you may have software downloaded on to your PC or 'work' done unnecessarily for which you may then be asked for payment.

Awareness of these scams is key to combating them.

  • Microsoft do not make unsolicited (unexpected) phone calls to consumers.
  • Never allow anyone you don't know or trust to take control of your PC.
  • Never download any software on to your PC if you are not certain what it does, where it comes from and that it is safe.
  • Never give your credit or debit card number to anyone who you receive an unsolicited call from - they could be criminals and could steal
  • your card details.
  • If you do think there is some thing wrong with your PC contact a local repair service and go on recommendation.
  • For information on how to protect your PC from viruses etc. visit: www.getsafeonline.org



26/01/2012 HMRC Scam

Residents are warned to beware of a new bogus HMRC 'tax rebate' email. The emails carry attachments and a request  for personal and financial details which have to be completed and sent before the 'cheque' is issued.

Warwickshire Trading Standards warn that these are phishing emails sent by criminal gangs with the sole purpose of stealing your personal and financial information.

There is no tax rebate and no money will be sent. Avoid opening phishing emails or any attachments they may contain. Never follow a link in a phishing email - delete them.

26/01/2012 Clairvoyant or Psychic Scams

Warwickshire Trading Standards has received a number of complaints recently about clairvoyant or psychic scam letters. All such letters operate in the same way, offering the receiver 'magic objects', lottery number predictions and 'guaranteed' rewards etc. in return for a small one off payment of £20 - £30. Some requests for payment are backed with 'occult threats' of 'future evil' for those failing to respond.

Whilst most recipients will consider such letters to be complete nonsense, a small number of very vulnerable people each year do fall for these scams and in return they receive every more scams through the post and by telephone. Never respond to a clairvoyant or psychic scam letter.

For more information on all scams, visit our website: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/scams

Safe outside?


Many people take a great deal of trouble securing their house and the property
within it . . . but what about sheds and garages?


Sheds . . .
With the array of lawnmowers, power tools, garden equipment, bicycles, sports and other valuable equipment kept in them, security measures should certainly be put in place.
  • Make sure that shed is near to the house or clearly visible from the house
  • Make sure that the door, door frame and walls are solid and replace any damaged or rotten areas with new sections
  • Often sheds are left unlocked or without any appropriate security, such as padlocks, chains or lighting. By installing these simple items can give better protection to your property.
  • Replace broken glass panes with laminated glass. Fit windows with a grille fixed to steel plates inside the shed
  • Fit key-operated window locks on opening windows. if the windows are never opened, screw them permanently shut from the inside.
  • Use metal rings and chains fixed to the shed frame with security screws to enable you to secure your electrical items, ladders and tools
  • Fit a battery powered alarm. These can be purchased from DIY stores and garden centres
  • Make sure your household policy covers sheds, garages and outbuildings.

Garages . . .
  • If you have a household alarm fitted, consider extending the system into the garage area to detect intruders
  • Purchase a separate garage alarm, which can be connected to a standard electrical 240v socket with a three pin plug.
  • Fit a garage door blocker on the outside of the door. This products bolts permanently to the floor, has a large 'T' bar shaped restrictor and a quality locking device.
  • Consider fitting a pair of garage doors that are fitted either vertically or horizontally and can be locked either from the inside or the outside of the garage.
  • Install dead bolts mounted one on each edge of the door inside the garage. When in use, the locks throw a bolt into the doorframe or the concrete floors of the garage.
  • Various good quality 'up and over' or 'rolling' deadlocking door handles can be purchased to replace the existing poor quality locks to give better security.
  • Consider purchasing loop cables. These have a long braided steel cable and a two-bolt anchor locking point. These fix to garage walls or floors and can be passed through expensive property such as quad bikes, etc. Some cables are alarmed.

Property . . .
Gardening tools and garden furniture are not cheap - what's more they are very saleable items for a thief. Don't make it easy for them to be stolen, and remember that tools stolen from your shed could be used to burgle your house, or someone else's.
  • Postcode or property mark anything in your shed or garage that is of value and might be stolen, for example, lawnmowers, garden furniture, bicycles, sports equipment.
  • Take photographs of expensive items - they may be useful to police for identifying the goods and returning them to you, should you unfortunate enough to have them stolen.
  • Never leave garden tools and equipment outside, even if you are just popping back into the house. It only takes minutes for an opportunist thief to take them.

Outdoors . . .
You can make it difficult for a thief to get into your garden.
  • Fit lights which come on when it gets dark and turn themselves off when it becomes light. Alternatively. install lights that come on automatically with a movement sensor.
  • Make sure all fences are in good repair and that panels cannot be easily moved or lifted. The height for a perimeter fence or wall around the back garden is 1.8 metres (6ft). Attaching trellis to the top of the wood panels can increase the height of a fence and act as a further deterrent.
  • Fit a padlock or bolt on the inside of all garden gates for security
  • Laying a thick gravel path makes it impossible for thieves to approach without making a noise and is a good crime reduction alternative to slabs and concrete.
  • Plant protection is another way of guarding your property. A selection of thorny bushes and prickly plants planted near to potential access routes, such as fences or walls, are not only visual deterrent but also a physical barrier to intruders. While these methods are ideal for making forced entry difficult through natural means, they should not replace traditional security measures such as padlocks or chains.

Remember the more difficult it is for a thief to enter your property the more likely they will leave it alone, they do not like noise or light or preventative measures which requires their time and the bigger chance of them being seen or heard.
**********************************************************************************************************
As well as these messages being sent out, the team here at Southam also rely on the vigilant members of our community to keep us informed of any information that is not reported to the Police.
We encourage all members of our Community to report incidents no matter how big or little they are.
This message if possible needs to be past onto all co-ordinators for your areas. I really appreciate your help, your continued support and look forward to working with you all.

Please report all crimes and/or incidents on the new non-emergency reporting number 101.
All emergencies on 999

Kind Regards
on behalf of  . . .
Claire Murray
PCSO 6247


SOUTHAM / WELLESBOURNE FARM WATCH & NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH
Southam Police Station
High Street
Southam
Tel : 01926 684984
Email : southamfarmwatch@warwickshire.pnn.police.uk / southam.snt@warwickshire.police.uk
Please do not report crime directly to the team, the correct number for reporting is 101 (non-emergency) or 999 (emergency).

Summary of Community Forum - 14th December

Missed the meeting? Catch up here.

Southam Feldon BTS December 2011.doc
SF notes 141211.doc

ATM PIN Number Reversal hoax email

MORE

Saturday, 21 January 2012

Vehicles of Interest


The below vehicles are believed to be used in Rural Crime in the area,
should you see them, do not approach make a note of the following:
  • The registration you have seen
  • Where is it?
  • What time did you see it?
  • Was there anyone with the vehicle?
  • If so, who? Describe them.
The vehicles are:
  • R802BEG - LDV 400
  • W39SGD - PEUGEOT BOXER
  • X63BFH - ROVER 75
  • R997NAB - VAUXHALL VECTRA
  • P336XCK - FORD ESCORT
  • N753YVR - MERCEDES
Please remember if you spot these vehicles, call the Police don't approach them yourselves,
just keep an eye on it and the occupants.
As well as these messages being sent out, the team here at Southam also rely on the vigilant members of our community to keep us informed of any information that is not reported to the Police.
We encourage all members of our Community to report incidents no matter how big or little they are.
This message if possible needs to be past onto all co-coordinators for your areas. I really appreciate your help, your continued support and look forward to working with you all.

Please report all crimes and/or incidents on the new non-emergency reporting number 101.
All emergencies on 999

Kind Regards,

Claire Murray
PCSO 6247
on behalf of . . .
SOUTHAM / WELLESBOURNE FARM WATCH & NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH
Southam Police Station
High Street
Southam
Tel : 01926 684984
Email : southamfarmwatch@warwickshire.pnn.police.uk / southam.snt@warwickshire.police.uk


Friday, 20 January 2012

SNT Update

LINK

Wellesbourne SNT Newsletter
20 January 2012

More about Metal Theft

Latest incidents for the Southam SNT area


Dear All,
Please find below the incidents for the Southam SNT area between 07/01/2012 - 20/01/2012.
Southam Ward:
WK-20120119-0060
Farm Premises, Banbury Rd, Southam. Between 5:30am and 6am on 19/01 unknown offenders have entered a secure parked
horse box lorry, and made an untidy search. DVD's have been removed. Lines of Enquiries are being carried out.
WK-20120107-0085
Farm Location, Rugby Rd, Southam. Between 1am and 7am 07/01 unknown offenders have entered onto Farm Land and removed
over head cabling from a sub station to the farm house.
WK-20120115-0210
A425, Southam. Between 06/01 and 13/01unknown offenders have removed cooper cabling from over head cables between Ufton and Southam
near to the Polo Grounds.
Napton & Stockton Ward:
WK-20120117-0153
Farm Location, Chapel Green, Napton. Approx 2am 17/01 unknown offenders have removed 5 x Spans of 200m's of copper cabling
from overhead cables from wooden poles.
WK-20120107-0219
The Butts, Napton. Between 23/12 and 07/01 unknown offenders have entered an insecure garage and removed multiple power tools.
WK-20120117-0083
Chapel Green, Napton. Between 9:30am 16/01 and 3:30am 17/01 unknown offenders have smashed a window to a derelict farm house.
Nothing taken
WK-20120119-0062
Chapel Green, Napton. Between 9am 18/01 and 9am 19/01 have entered numerous sheds. Owner is unsure if anything was taken.
WK-20120110-0072
Laurel Drive, Stockton. Between 8pm 09/01 and 6:30am 10/01 unknown offenders have entered 2x insecure vehicles.
1 x Black Toyota Hi Lux and removed i phone 3gs, £360 in coins, Black Leather Wallet, Timberland Waterproof.
1 x VW Passet and removed pair of sunglasses.
WK-20120118-0098
Lower Shuckborough. Between 3:30pm 17/01 and 11:30am 18/01 unknown offenders have entered a secure Ford Transit by smashing the front
nearside quarter light window and have reached in and removed a TOM TOM.
 
Fenny Compton & Priors Marston Ward:
WK-20120107-0072
Northend Rd, Fenny Compton. Between Midnight and 7am 07/01 unknown offenders have taken secure vehicle from outside property,

by removing driveway gates. Blue Land Rover Defender removed. On the 08/01 vehicle was found in Chestnut Rd, Mollington.
Police have recovered the vehicle and lines of enquiry are on-going.
WK-20120113-0060
Hellidon Rd, Priors Marston. Overnight of the 13/01 unknown offenders have removed over head cabling along a bridle path.
WK-20120117-0156
Hellidon Rd, Priors Marston. Overnight of the 14/01 - 15/01 unknown offenders have removed a IFOR galvanised single axle trailer
with solid side grill extensions for 3 sides. Rear ramp is secured by wheel lock. Value £800 and 8ft by 6ft.
Harbury & Bishops Itchington Ward:
WK-20120117-0130
Bascote Rd, Ufton. Between 2pm 22/12 and 2pm 16/01 unknown offenders have entered an insecure farm yard and removed 50m's of copper cabling.
WK-20120110-0140
Ufton Fields, Ufton. Between 9:30am 08/01 and 11:30am 10/01 unknown offenders have entered a secure shed and removed an electric train set.
WK-20120111-0303
Ufton Fields, Ufton. Between 4pm 08/01 and 6pm 10/01 unknown offenders have entered an insecure shed and removed 2 x bicycles. 1 of the bicycles has since been found for sale
online. Lines of enquiry are on-going.
WK-20120111-0183
Ufton Fields, Ufton. Between 07/01 and 08/01 unknown offenders have entered a secure shed. Nothing taken.
WK-20120118-0166
Margaret Close, Harbury. Between 12:20pm 17/01 and 2:30pm 18/01 unknown have entered secure shed and taken nothing.
WK-20120118-0217
Constance Drive, Harbury. Between 15/01 and 18/01 unknown have entered insecure stables and removed 1 x Grey Giant RINCON 21 Gear Bicycle
and 1 x Grey Giant BOULDER 21 Gear Bicycle.
WK-20120116-0274
Hillside, Harbury. During daytime hours till 5pm on 16/01 unknown offenders have entered a secure property. Unknown by occupant if anything has been taken.
WK-20120115-0133
Chapel St, Bishops Itchington. Approx 8:30pm 14/01 occupants have heard a noise, on further investigation the next morning they have discovered that unknown
offenders have smashed a double glazed unit to the front door of the property. A group of youths were seen in the area the night of the 14/01 and were challenged by a
member of the public. Lines of Enquiries on-going.
WK-20120116-0114
This incident includes 3 separate incidents:
a) At 3:10pm 22/12 a section of fencing was damaged in the Recreation area by known offender.
b) Between 7:45pm and 7:50pm 08/01 damage has been caused to the CCTV camera on the Sports Pavillon.
Shows 3 youths, 2 male and 1 female approx 15-17yrs old. Shows 1 male smashed the camera with a traffic cone and piece of wood.
c) Approx 11am 08/01 the same fencing as a) has been damaged by the same known offender and another male youth.
*****All 3 incidents are being investigated*****
Long Itchington Ward:
WK-20120109-0277
Odingsell Drive, Long Itchington. Between 8:30am and 7:30pm 09/01 unknown offenders have entered a secure property and occupants are unsure if anything has been taken.
WK-20120116-0009
The Green, Long Itchington. Between Midnight and 1am 16/01 occupants of property have disturbed a unknown male attempting to break into their vehicle.
Police attended but no trace was found.

**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
If anyone has seen or heard anything suspicious please contact Stratford Crime Desk quoting the incident number above and give details.
Any information for any of the above incidents, needs to be past onto Crime Desk on 01926 415000 and ask to be put through to Crime Desk and quote the incident number above the incident.
As well as these messages being sent out, the team here at Southam also rely on the vigilant members of our community to keep us informed of any information that is not reported to the Police.
We encourage all members of our Community to report incidents no matter how big or little they are.
This message if possible needs to be past onto all co-coordinators for your areas. I really appreciate your help, your continued support and look forward to working with you all.

Please report all crimes and/or incidents on the new non-emergency reporting number 101.
All emergencies on 999

Kind Regards,

Claire Murray
PCSO 6247
on behalf of . . .
SOUTHAM / WELLESBOURNE FARM WATCH & NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH
Southam Police Station
High Street
Southam
Tel : 01926 684984
Email : southamfarmwatch@warwickshire.pnn.police.uk / southam.snt@warwickshire.police.uk

Road Safety/Traffic Projects website

Good morning
Please find below a link to the Road Safety/Traffic Projects website (wordpress blog) on the Warwickshire Direct website, which may be useful to you.

The website is intended to assist members of the public and groups such as community forums in locating current scheme information. It can also be used for scheme proposals and consultation including the distribution of scheme maps, drawings diagrams etc.

http://wccroadsafetyengineering.wordpress.com/

Regards

Ali Mainey
Area Administration Assistant, Stratford-on-Avon Area Office
Communities
Warwickshire County Council
Office Phone External: 01789 260134
Mobile: 07557 565783
Internal: 532134
email:  alisonmainey@warwickshire.gov.uk
www.warwickshire.gov.uk

Fur further information on the LAA visit
www.warwickshire.gov.uk/laa

For further information on the Stratford-on-Avon Area Office visit
www.warwickshire.gov.uk/stratfordarea

19/01/2012 'Slow' Computer Scam

Warwickshire Trading Standards Service is warning computer users to beware of another 'computer fix' scam that has targeted residents in the Leamington Spa area.

Householders have reported receiving unexpected phone calls from a business with an 0161 Manchester area code. The caller initially claims to represent Microsoft although some consumers have reported that they sometimes withdraw the claim, later in the conversation.

The callers claim to be phoning to fix (an in reality), non-existent 'slow computer' problem and request remote access to the residents computer. The callers, who use a variety of names including: Frank Morrison, David Watson, Steve and Charlie Brown claim the fix will be free but later demand several hundred pounds after doing little or nothing to the computer.

This is a scam.

Awareness of these scams is key to combating them.
  • Microsoft do not make unsolicited (unexpected) phone calls to consumers.
  • Never allow anyone you don't know or trust to take control of your PC.
  • Never download any software on to your PC if you are not certain what it does, where it comes from and that it is safe.
  • Never give your credit or debit card number to anyone who you receive an unsolicited call from - they could be criminals and could steal your card details.
  • If you do think there is some thing wrong with your PC contact a local repair service and go on recommendation.
  • For information on how to protect your PC from viruses etc. visit: www.getsafeonline.org


For more information on all scams, visit our website: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/scams

Rural crime crackdown



Dorchester Police went out on overnight patrol as part of Operation Shogun, a high-profile initiative to deter people from committing crimes in the rural community. They were joined by game keepers and farmers who acted as spotters for suspicious vehicles in the area.

Suspicious vehicles were stopped and searched. The operation discovered one car full of people that had previous convictions for rural crimes.


The situation in Warwickshire is equally serious so please report any suspicious activity.

Dial 101 (or 999 if you suspect a crime is in process)

Metal theft in the UK reaches epidemic proportions



More than 1,000 offences are taking place every week, according to official figures. The number of metal thefts has doubled in the past five years and is estimated to cost the economy more than £770 million every year as thieves target the transport system, public buildings such as schools and hospitals, and places of worship.
Thieves have targeted railway lines, church roofs, community centres, war memorials, irreplaceable works of art, manhole covers and even plaques in cemetaries. The number of thefts from churches has doubled in the past three years alone. In some areas, metal theft is reported to represent a tenth of total recorded crime while the British Transport Police now ranks the issue second only to fighting terrorism in its priorities.

Citizen's arrests plummet



The number of citizen's arrests carried out has fallen five-fold in the past decade, according to official figures which show the extent of Britain's "walk-on-by" culture.

Friday, 6 January 2012

Removal of Wood Street car park recycling centre, Southam (9th January 2012)

Please see an update below following the decision in October 2011 to close the SDC recycling centre on 9th January 2012.
 
On Monday 9th January the following actions will be carried out:
  • The Council's contractors Biffa will remove all of the bins and clear the site
  • Notices will be posted at the site stating that the recycling centre has been removed, residents can put additional recycling out on their door steps alongside their wheeled bins, and that any material left at the site after 9th January will be treated as fly tipping and that offenders may be prosecuted.
  •  Council officers and contractors will monitor the car park and report / clear any refuse or recycling left at the site after this date
If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact me.
 
kind regards
 
Olly
 
Olly Scholefield
Streetscene Manager

Tuesday, 3 January 2012

Everyday First Aid



Easy to learn, easy to remember

The British Red Cross wants you to feel confident and willing to give first aid. Everyday First Aid makes it easy to learn the skills you'll need to help in an emergency.