Westminster Park Residents Association

Two men and a woman wanted in connection with shoplifting from Curry’s in Chester. Can you help us to identify them?

See here for details

In recent weeks several areas in West Cheshire have had numerous charity bags delivered to their homes.The vast majority of these have not got the required collection  licence  from Cheshire West and Cheshire Council and residents should think carefully before donating goods in this way. Quite often the collectors are a limited company who pass only a small amount ( if any ) of the profit to the charity.

Police and Trading Standards recommend that residents check where the goods are going and it is often better to donate unwanted clothes etc to a local charity shop.

Some well known charities have a national exemption certificate and I am attaching a list of these charities. If the charity is not listed on this list it is reasonably certain that they have not got a collection licence, individual cases can be checked by contacting Cheshire West and Cheshire Council regulatory services licensing department Tel 0300 123 8 123

Holders of orders of exemption 43 sheet Nov2010

Police are warning the public to be on their guard following a rise in handbag and sophisticated ‘distraction’ type theftstargeting supermarket shoppers in West Cheshire.

Since the end of May, seven shoppers have become victims of theft in Northwich, Winsford, Ellesmere Port & Chester. In three instances, thieves have stolen handbags and purses from the shopping trolleys of their victims.

However in recent weeks, more sophisticated methods are being adopted by criminals, leading to four elderly victims being targeted by devious thieves who look over the victims shoulder whilst they use a chip & pin device or ATM. The offender will then approach the victim inside the supermarket or outside in the car park, and engage them in conversation, often asking for change, or directions. Whilst they are distracted, the offenders rifle through their bag or purse and steal their banks cards.

See full report here

Lache / Westminster Park / Curzon Park / Handbridge / Saltney

• West Cheshire College – Burglary. Early morning period. Offender(s) gain entry to premises via ground floor window and steal floorboards.
• Holly Road – Theft. Overnight period. Offender(s) steal outside light from property.
• Clover Lane – Criminal damage. Early morning period. Offender(s) use large stone to break front window.
• Mill Street – Assault. Daytime period. Offender assaults a Civil Enforcement Officer by pushing her to stomach whilst she was dealing with illegally parked vehicles.
• Lache Lane – Anti-Social behaviour. 20 youths were reported to be causing a nuisance. Local officers attended and dealt with the group during which names were taken and a quantity of alcohol was confiscated.

Chester Outer South – Lache / Westminster Park / Curzon Park / Handbridge / Saltney

• Selkirk Drive – Criminal damage. Overnight period. Offender(s) smash rear windscreen on parked motor vehicle.
• Eastern Pathway – Attempt theft. Early hours. Male offender wearing dark hooded top with orange stripes on arms attempting to gain entry to vehicle before being disturbed. Made off on grey pedal cycle.
• Elizabeth Crescent – Burglary (other). Over 24 hour period. Offender(s) steal white BMX bike from insecure garage.
• Eaton Crescent (2 offences) – Burglary (other). Overnight period. Offender(s) steal insecure black cycle from garden and 2 cycles from shed in another premises. **1 of these cycles recovered on 23/6 in the Chester Zoo area**.
• Fairford Road – Theft. Weekday period. Offender(s) steal insecure Coyote mountain bike from rear garden.

See full report here.

Everyone needs a holiday some time but we all want to come home and find everything as we left it. Almost half the burglaries happen when a flat or house is empty.

By following the tips set out here, you can help to make your home secure while you are away. Read the tips and plan ahead and tick off the items before you go.

Before you go
• Make your home look like someone is living in it. Don’t close your curtains in the daytime this shows the house is empty. Use automatic timer-switches to turn lights on when it goes dark.

• Cancel any milk or newspaper deliveries.• Avoid discussing holiday plans where strangers may hear details of your absence from home.

• Cut the lawn before you go and trim back any plants that burglars could hide behind.

• Uncollected mail is a sign that you are away. The Royal Mail’s Keepsafe service will keep your mail for up to two months while you are away.

• Consider leaving important documents and valuable items with other family members, in your bank or lock them in a safe.

• Do not put your home address on your luggage when travelling to your holiday destination.

• If you normally leave valuable pedal cycles or similar items in your shed, consider putting them in the house.

• Finally, make sure that you’ve locked all outside doors and windows and, if you have a burglar alarm, make sure it is set.
And just before you set off it’s worth spending a couple of minutes checking that you’ve done everything you need to.

Help from neighbours

It’s a good idea to get help from your neighbours. You could ask them to collect post, sweep up leaves, mow the lawn, open and close curtains, and so on. They could even occasionally park their cars on your driveway. Anything to make the place look lived in.

You can repay the favour by doing the same for them. Warn your neighbours not to put your surname, address or even your house number on your keys in case they fall into the wrong hands.

Let your neighbours know when you will be away and. If you can, give them details so they can contact you, or someone who can act on your behalf, in case of an emergency.

Regards
Insp Steve Beddows

Chester Outer Neighbourhood Policing Team