News

With pumpkins being picked and carved, and many neighbourhoods transforming their homes into spooky spectacles as Halloween is just around the corner! 

To ensure everyone enjoys a safe and respectful Halloween, we encourage you to share our downloadable Surrey Police posters with your neighbours. These handy posters let trick-or-treaters know if a household is welcoming visitors or prefers not to be disturbed.

Let’s make this Halloween fun and safe for everyone!

https://www.surrey.police.uk/SysSiteAssets/media/images/surrey/campaigns/2022/halloween_a4_posters_2022.pdf

From Facebook:

*BIKERS BEWARE*

Yet another diesel trail from the start of woodhatch road leading all the way through Reigate headed towards rykas on the A25, at least 3’ wide in the middle of the road!

From Surrey Police - In the know

Dear residents, 

You're invited to join us on our Neighbourhood Watch Network Facebook page from1pm on Tuesday 29th October, as SimpliSafe, one of our trusted partner organisations, takes over our Facebook page!

Throughout the afternoon, SimpliSafe will be hosting a live Q&A on our page, giving you the opportunity to ask the home security questions you've always wanted answers to. They will also be sharing bespoke guidance on tips for securing your home; which security products are best for different types of home; and how you can stay safe during autumn and winter as the darker nights draw in.

Neighbourhood Watch members will also receive access to an exclusive discount - don't miss out!

Click here to visit our Facebook page at 1pm on Tuesday 29th October.

We look forward to seeing you from 1pm next Tuesday!

Thank you and best wishes - please share this with your Neighbourhood Watch network.

There are so many things to love about autumn, the colours, hot chocolates, woolly jumpers, bonfires and pumpkins.

But with these seasonal changes, also comes an increase in burglaries as the evenings draw in. We want everyone to be security aware, and safeguard their homes from criminals. 

Follow this important advice to secure your home this autumn:

• Even if you’re popping out for a short while, ensure all windows and doors are locked and secure. If you don’t and you get burgled, your home insurance could be invalidated because you left your home insecure.
   
• Keep any valuables out of sight of windows and keys safely stored away from letterboxes. 
   
• Consider leaving a small light on when you go out in the evenings, or on a timer.
   
• Autumn gives us many reasons to be out and about doing seasonal activities, or going away during the half term, but how much do you share online? Think about how public your profile is before posting your Halloween highlights when you’re away from home. 
   
• It’s that time of year, when weekends may include clearing leaves from driveways and gutters, but always remember to shut away ladders and tools – don’t leave them in sight for any opportunist burglars. 
   
• Good neighbours are worth their weight in gold. If you like and trust your neighbour, ask them to keep an eye on your home when you’re out, and take in parcel deliveries, so they don’t sit vulnerable on your doorstep. 
   
• As we head into the colder months, ensure your back garden is secure. Consider a solid, high garden gate with a lock and additional fencing and planting, as there will be less privacy from trees, now the leaves are falling. 
  

Over these coming months, we will be sharing burglary prevention tips, advice and alerts as part of our #DontFallVictim campaign – so keep your eyes peeled for more. 

Remember, if you have CCTV footage or images of suspicious behaviour that you think we should know about, submit it to be reviewed through our suspicious activity portal.

You can report a burglary to us online here. In an emergency, always call 999.

Last week across the county, officers were out and about cracking down on vehicle crime. But what is vehicle crime, and why should it be taken seriously?

Vehicle crime includes theft of vehicles, theft from vehicles, interference with a motor vehicle, and buying or selling stolen vehicles. These types of offences are increasingly being seen across the country. They are carried out at all hours of the day, even in broad daylight. 

We want to help you stay safe and minimise the chances of becoming a victim of vehicle crime. There are simple steps you can take to deter criminals, such as making sure your vehicle is locked when you leave it, even if you are returning shortly. If you are a motorbike or moped owner, you can help keep them safe by using a disk lock, chaining your bike to an immovable object, and covering it when not in use. 

Keyless cars are often a target, but you can help keep yours secure by:

• Storing keys away from windows and doors and in a metal tin
• If you are able to purchase one, use a radio frequency blocking pouch
• Consider using a steering lock
• Park in well-lit or CCTV covered areas

These images provide further crime prevention advice:

Vehicle related offences can have a devastating impact on individuals and on business owners, from loss of a family car, to loss of work equipment. These thieves are often linked to organised crime groups, who may be running a sophisticated chop shop. A chop shop is a place where stolen vehicles are dismantled so the parts can be sold or used to repair other stolen vehicles. We have seen various types of vehicle crime carried out across Surrey, and we’re actively targeting criminality taking place in order to disrupt it, and protect you and your belongings.

Last week we carried out unannounced visits at places suspected of being involved in vehicle crime offences. We located two suspected stolen vehicles, seized a cloned vehicle, made two arrests for vehicle crime offences, and carried out a warrant at a chop shop recovering 27 vehicle parts. Watch footage from our visit here.

Alongside this, officers were out and about all week engaging with the community and giving crime prevention advice to the public. Also, a thorough investigation has led to a repeat vehicle crime offender being put behind bars, read more about that here: Police put the brakes on serial thief | Surrey Police

Whilst last week demonstrated an intense focus on vehicle crime, rest assured that we take reports seriously and investigate all year round. You can make a non-urgent report by using our online reporting form.

Did you know that you can also upload any suspicious activity via our portal? Reporting concerning behaviour helps us build an understanding of what is going on across the county, and respond accordingly.

A group of enthusiastic young volunteers who are eager to contribute their time and energy to support the borough. The group is called ASEZ WAO UK Are coming to Whitebushes meeting at 14:00 this Sunday (29th Sept) to complete a litter pick with equipment available at the playground.

Residents are invited to join this group to help cover more of the estate and get to know their neighbours and about this group that do a range of community projects.

Cllr Della Torra has advised us that SES water have closed Woodlands Road by the bus stops near the GP surgery.

If you need to access the Woodlands Medical Practice by vehicle you will need to enter from the St John’s Road end of the road.

This work is also impacting bus routes 430/435 and is planned to last until the 27th Sept

(Photo credit Cllr Torra)

Raven Housing Trust hosted a meeting for their home owners last Wednesday to discuss issues that impact them and start work to better understand the concerns that residents who are home owners or in shared ownership / sheltered accommodation scheme properties. 

The meeting is the first in a line of improvements that Raven Housing hope to develop moving forward whilst recognising the specific issues that apply to home owners rather than to their tenants.

A range of issues were covered but one of the issues that has already seen improvement is in the information on the Section 20 (major works - ie any work likely to cost any individual flat/property more than £100) with details of the scope of the works and including the Q&As. Further improeents were discussed as the meeting as a result of great discussions between Raven & Home owners.

If you are a Raven resident (regardless of tenant or home owner) please do take the time to complete the surveys they offer including with their telephone researchers as the more feedback the better they can serve you.

Urgent Allergy Alert. We are advising people who have a peanut allergy to avoid consuming foods or drinks that contain or may contain mustard, mustard powder or mustard flour.   

These mustard ingredients can be found in food such as dips, sauces, salads and pre-packed sandwiches.  

The FSA is urgently working with the relevant Local Authorities, individual businesses and industry to identify which products may be affected. We have traced the contaminated mustard ingredients to a producer in India and have identified one company who has supplied these ingredients for use in UK food.  

As a precaution, we are advising consumers who have an allergy to peanuts to avoid consuming any foods or drinks that contain or may contain mustard. If mustard is present in a food, it will be labelled in bold on the packet because it is an allergen itself. If there is a risk that mustard could be unintentionally present in food there will be a ‘may contain’ label for mustard.  

If you are eating out, please ask the cafe or restaurant staff if any of their products contain mustard – by law, food businesses must provide this information to customers. 

For more information and advice, read our news story here: https://www.food.gov.uk/news-alerts/news/urgent-allergy-advice-mustard-ingredients-contaminated-with-peanuts

In this edition we highlight scams affecting young people, the Oasis ticket problem and a parking fine scam that leads to official looking websites designed to steal your money.

All this as well as up to date food and product recalls!

You can read the newsletter here: Trading Standards Newsletter 

We also have a webinar coming up. We are hosting it with Surrey Police and it's on the topic of doorstep crime.

It could be someone knocking to say that they've noticed a loose tile, or they are just working down the road and offering to jet wash your driveway or even someone trying to sell you household goods - we let you know the reality of rogue cold callers and how to spot and report them.

Sign up to the webinar on 24th September here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/how-to-safe-from-doorstep-crime-tickets-999315297957

Please remember that from today the 420 bus route no longer serves the Whitebushes estate with the nearest stop being the hospital.

For us to fight for improvements to bus services please if using the 460 use the stops at Bushfield Drive or Spencer Way where possible to generate the documented demand for more than just an hourly 460 service in each direction.

Dear all, 

Please find the August 2024 edition of the Surrey and Sussex Police Fraud Newsletter below. In this month’s edition, we focus on fraud recovery fraud, financial abuse by a known person, and telephone number spoofing. 

“Each month we see many incidents of fraudsters targeting our residents in an attempt to defraud them. We’re working hard to prevent this and support vulnerable victims of fraud or scams. By following our tips and encouraging family, friends and colleagues to do so too, you can reduce the risk of becoming a victim.”

T/Detective Chief Inspector Antony Leadbeatter, Surrey Police & Sussex Police Economic Crime Unit

Fraud recovery fraud 

Sadly, we have seen an increase locally across Sussex and Surrey in criminals contacting previous fraud victims and presenting them with an opportunity to retrieve their lost funds as a sort of recovery scheme, typically from an investment fraud. The victims are frequently being asked to pay an advanced fee for this service and are suffering huge financial loss and repercussions for being repeat victims of fraud. 

Case Study 

Earlier this year a 61-year-old female from East Sussex was looking to invest some money she had recently inherited. She saw an advert on Facebook with Martin Lewis talking positively about investing in Crypto currency and recommending a specific company for doing this (this advert had used deepfake software to give the impression that Martin Lewis was recommending this company when in fact this was all a hoax).

Once on the website she filled out a questionnaire and was then subsequently called by someone representing the company claiming to be a financial advisor who will help her invest in Bitcoin and manage her portfolio. The financial advisor instructed her to transfer money to them to invest in Bitcoin. She would get daily calls from the advisor asking to invest more and more money, while also seeing that reports emailed to her showing her investment growing quickly. 

She had invested over £40,000, before she realised this was all a scam.

Last month she received a call from some claiming they could recover her lost money for a fee.  So she began transferring cash to a nominated account and using a variety of different payment methods and transfer services. Sadly, this was actually a second fraud and she went on to lose yet another substantial amount of money. 

• If you have lost money to a fraud in the past, be wary if you’re contacted by an agency that knows a lot about the money you lost…. but they want a fee first. 
• Genuine agencies never ask for fees to recover money lost to fraudsters.
• Challenge any calls, letters, or emails from people you don’t know or companies you’ve never contacted.
• The fraudsters may also ask you to provide details of your bank account so they can pay your money into it. They will use this information to empty your account.

Financial abuse by a known person 

Financial abuse is most frequently carried out by a person who is trusted by the victim. This can include family members, friends and neighbours, care workers and other professionals. 

This can also relate to fraud by abuse of position of trust, which applies when someone has been put in a privileged position, and because of this position, is expected to safeguard another person’s finances. 

There are also individuals who target and befriend vulnerable adults with the intention of exploiting them.

Disabled people are disproportionately affected by this despicable crime compared to the non-disabled population. The risk is increased due to them often being more in need and reliant of others supporting them and a higher likelihood of social isolation. 

Reporting a fraud by abuse of position of trust can be increasingly difficult if the suspect is a family member, carer, or friend as the victim may not have an alternative support network and there may also be a fear retaliation or further victimisation.

So far this year we have seen 201 reports of financial abuse by a known person across Sussex and Surrey with an average age of the victims being 67 years old.  The total loss experienced amounted to £3.9 million.

During the month of August, the Digital Safety and Fraud Prevention Team at West Sussex County Council have been collaborating with other partner agencies who are also members of the Fraud Prevention Working Group (FPWG) to raise awareness around Financial Abuse by a known person.

By producing a series of awareness messages, scheduled at specific dates across the month and shared across the social media platforms of all the FPWG members, these messages have raised awareness of this fraud type and also focused on what to look out for if you believed a loved one was experiencing financial abuse. Links to resources and signposting to support agencies were also included within these posts.

Telephone number spoofing 

There have been an increased number of victims reporting receiving fraudulent communications from phone numbers, falsely identifying as their banks. 

These authentic looking numbers allow suspects to impersonate bank officials, conducting scams by calling on what seems like a legitimate number and following up with an official looking text message.  These can appear in an existing message chain, which seemingly adds further credibility. 

Calls with spoofed numbers can come from all over the world and are used in a growing proportion of nuisance and fraudulent calls.

• Never give out your personal information in response to an incoming cold call, 
• Do not rely on the caller id as the sole means of identification - particularly if the caller asks you to carry out an action which might have financial consequences.

Taken from Facebook please find attached the list of events ar Salfords Village Hall

Reigate & Banstead Borough Council are operating normal waste collections for the August Bank Holiday week.

All teams will be visiting on the usual day.

The Council’s Executive agreed last night to focus on options for a medium-term cultural offering for the borough (based in Redhill if possible) to be reported to the Executive in early 2025.

The Harlequin Theatre & Cinema’s interim leisure and cultural provision, put in place while the building cannot be used due to RAAC, will cease. 

A community event for local people to get involved is planned for the autumn.

You can read the full statement here: https://orlo.uk/Qqx11

Our neighbours at Salfords and Sidlow Parish Council have shared the following that might impact those who enjoy walking:

The footpath from Monotype to Salfords train station is going to be closed for a period of up to 5 months from 16 September 2024 to 19 February 2025 whilst Network Rail replace the steps at the station.

U7-U10 GIRLS TEAM SPACES

We are thrilled to invite young female footballers to join our club for the upcoming season (24/25).

Come and be a part of our growing female football community!

We are looking for girls who will be in Years 2, 3, 4 & 5 from September 24.

Teams will play in the Epsom & Ewell Saturday league and Surrey Girls Sunday League for U10 age group.

Open sessions continue throughout the remainder of the Summer:

Thursday 5-6pm at New Pond Farm

We have teams ready to go with kit, league registrations in place some great players and experienced coaches.

Please register via the QR Code or contact Chris Rowe 07785 274757 / femalefootball@redhillfc.co.uk

For U10s please use the QR code in this photo.