This circular is forwarded to local individuals who have asked me to send them a copy directly and to members of the community who act on behalf of local groups. Once I send this e-mail out, I know it gets posted to a number of Residents Association and Neighbourhood Watch websites as well as several local Facebook pages. This is great as I want this to be circulated as widely as possible. But I am mindful that some of you might end up getting this circular more than once. Please let me know if you get death by e-mail and I will see what I can do to rectify it.
Off road motorbikes and aggressive moped riding
I want to cover a specific problem this month which won’t affect you all but is a blight to those who it does affect. Off road motor bikes and quad bikes continue to be a real issue, mainly in open spaces around Ickenham and Harefield (but we do get reports across the whole of the north of the Borough) and as the summer months approach we anticipate this problem getting worse. The local police have tried a number of measures to catch and convict these individuals, including using the police helicopter. Unfortunately it is not easy to safely stop these riders. The council have also tried to secure some of these sites to make it harder for riders to gain access, and this year they will be using new legislation to make it an offence to ride these bikes on open spaces – more to follow on that in the coming months.
The other growing problem is moped riders who ride aggressively, often in groups. In recent months we have had incidents of these riders running down elderly pedestrians and riding off. Someone will get badly hurt one day. These youngsters ride around full of bravado but if they were to be convicted for seriously hurting someone, it would impact on the rest of their lives.
I have raised these two issues in this forum because I need your help on a number of front:
If you are one of those who turn up in a big van, unload a couple of bikes and buzz around for the next 6-hours I want you to think where else you can do this that is not so anti-social. There are farms not far down the M40 that allow this activity. Go there before the new legislation leads to your criminalisation.
If your child has a moped and you know they ride around in these small gangs, then step up and take that moped from them. They will hurt someone and they will be convicted. Stop them before that becomes a reality.
If you know who owns these off road bikes or the mopeds, let us know. You can drop me a line or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. We will then work to seize them before they can do any harm.
Finally, the mopeds have to display registration plates. If you are in a position to safely record the number plates of these bikes, please let me have them.
If we all work together on this, maybe we can make a difference.
Crime statistics
I know crime statistics are not always trusted and can cause division. Therefore, I will not make comment but simply produce last years reported crime figures for Hillingdon (April to April) for your information:
Burglary in a dwelling – 1818 offences (7.3% reduction)
Burglary in other buildings – 763 offences (13.7% reduction)
Robbery – 443 offences (4.9% reduction)
Theft from person – 387 offences (12.8% reduction)
Violence with injury – 2364 offences (23.6% increase)
Theft of motor vehicle – 531 offences (12% increase)
Theft from motor vehicle – 2082 offences (5.2% increase)
Police focus going forward across Hillingdon will be to target burglary and violence with injury. Locally we will also be looking at ways to reduce car crime.
Yours,
Inspector Rob Bryan
North Safer Neighbourhoods
Hillingdon Borough
Phone 020 8246 1816 | Mobile 07500097182 | E-mailrobert.bryan@met.pnn.police.uk Address Ruislip Police Station, The Oaks, HA4 7LE
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Thank you for the positive messages received in response to last months circular. Always nice for my officers to get praise, which has been passed on to them.
Changes to Local Policing
We all remember the old Safer Neighbourhoods model of 1-2-3 which meant a local bobby was often seen. That changed when we moved to the Local Policing Model a few years ago, which for a variety of reasons reduced the visibility of local officers on the beat.
I am pleased to say the Local Policing Model has been reviewed and a number of changes made. It is not an increase in resources but rather a more focused way of deploying those resources so they remain visible:
Local officers used to have to cover the Appointment Cars. These are four cars across the Borough, working a day shift and a late shift. The car attended incidents where the caller was happy for an appointment. That meant 8 local officers a day not being visible locally. That has now changed and the Appointment Car is covered by officers on the 24/7 Emergency Response Teams.
Local officers used to have to cover a variety of tasks which took them away from their beat (hospital guards, constant watches in custody, crime scene guards). Again, these tasks now fall to the Emergency Response Teams.
Dedicated Ward Officers are ring-fenced and that comes from the very top of the Organisation. They will remain on their beats.
The shift roster has been reviewed and local officers will now work more hours where they are visible to the majority of the community.
What does that mean in reality?
For the North, it means you now have the following resources for every two wards:
One sergeant
Four PCs, two of whom are the Dedicated Ward Officers and cannot be abstracted.
Two PCSOs, both of whom are Dedicated Ward Officers and cannot be abstracted.
The two non-dedicated PCs can be abstracted for aid, but not for those tasks listed above. You should see more cops on the beat.
Additional to these officers is the North High Visibility Team, a dedicated team of one sergeant and five PCs who are tasked to disrupt offenders in our area. They are very proactive – in one week in March they made the following arrests: six people were arrested for possession with intent to supply drugs, one person was arrested for disqualified driving, one person was arrested for stealing a car and one of our well known criminals was arrested and remanded in custody for two counts of theft.
Bobby’s on the beat are not a thing of the past and I hope you notice the difference.
4-months ago I ran a popular topic highlighting the varied and hard work the local police were undertaking in your area, and this month I am returning to that subject. It’s a long one….
Good Work
Sgt Kerr and the Volunteer Police Cadets undertook a test purchase operation. Eight licensed premises checked, one store failed and was served a section 19 closure notice.
Good old fashioned policing – the North High Visibility Team (HVPT) undertook an arrest enquiry when the occupier denied the suspect was present and would not allow officers entry. They smelled a rat so sat up nearby and 20-minutes later caught the suspect leaving the address. He was charged with shoplifting offences in the north.
PC Archer and Sgt Moore were on patrol in Harefield when they spotted a prolific offender currently on license from the Thames Valley area. Tried to make off but was detained and searched and arrested in possession of cocaine which he had concealed whilst failing to stop. He has been charged and sent to court.
Whilst the North HVPT were on an ANPR operation in Field End Road, an Audi TT failed to stop then crashed before the driver ran off. The car was lifted for forensics and witness statements obtained. Enquiries with the car owner identified other offences. The team identified where the suspect was hiding, gained entry and made an arrest. Subsequently charged with failing to stop, assault and possession with intent to supply drugs.
Good work by officers on Eastcote SNT who conducted a joint operation with Surrey Police to identify an offender who was wanted for rape. The team carried out extensive intelligence work to identify and locate the offender. Using local knowledge a potential suspect was identified and arrested. A thorough search of the suspect’s address found key evidence. The suspect was later charged with rape.
Sgt Charlston and her team carried out a joint operation with the Department for Work and Pensions at an address in Eastcote. A group of foreign nationals were running a fraudulent documents business from the address. One male was arrested during the operation for three counts of using fraudulent Slovakian passports to try and obtain national insurance numbers and other documents. The male was charged and further investigations continue to identify others involved in this fraudulent activity.
Officers from West Ruislip SNT offered support to a particularly vulnerable victim of crime. The victim, an 86 year old with dementia and mobility issues who lives on her own, was burgled while in her own home. The victim suffered quite an ordeal at the hands of the burglars and was left with extensive damage to clear up. PC McCormack and PCSO Brighton identified the need for extra support for this victim, helping her fix her door lock, arranging for victim support to visit her, and liaising with other external agencies to ensure she is getting the long term care she needs. This has given the victim peace of mind and a feeling of being secure and safe again in her own home.
PC McNeill ran an operation to catch those speeding in residential areas. The operation resulted in 5 tickets being issued, 2 cars being seized for no insurance and 2 people being arrested for drug possession.
Special Constable Spear and PC Hussein from South Ruislip SNT attended Ruislip Gardens Primary School where they talked to the children about ‘Stranger Danger’, and what they should do if they found themselves lost. The children also got to try on various police uniforms and equipment. PCSO Brighton and PCSO Robinson attend Coteford Primary School to give a presentation to over 300 pupils on road safety and stranger danger. This provided an excellent opportunity for the officers to engage with the youngsters and educate them on staying safe on the roads.
Excellent work by Sgt Charlston and her team who investigated a complex assault case. The officers sensed that something wasn’t quite right with the allegation made and through extensive CCTV trawls and witness enquiries they were able to prove that the victim was actually the perpetrator of an violent and unprovoked assault. The actual victim was supported by officers to give a statement which resulted in the suspect being arrested and charged with assault. The suspect has pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.
The HVPT had a particularly varied week at in December, including pro-activity and community engagement. They seized cars with no insurance, made arrests for drug possession, executed three search warrants, patrols burglary hotspots in uniform and plain clothes and finally rescued a stray dog in Harefield that had been hit by a car and reunited it with it’s owner.
South Ruislip SNT undertook a wide range of community engagement in one week: a drop in surgery at Ruislip Library giving one to one advice to local residents, a crime prevention meeting at a Mother & Baby hostel and Sgt Kerr and PC Webster accompanied the Borough Commander during an interfaith service at the Ruislip Synagogue.
West Ruislip SNT supported a “Safe Drive Stay Alive” event to witness first hand the impact that the event has on young drivers and the positive effect this will have on road deaths amongst young people in the Borough. The team used this opportunity to engage with youths from different schools across the borough and gain feedback from their experiences and listen to their concerns.
PCSO Sandhu received a call from a local resident who knew that he was searching for one of our local villains. She informed PCSO Sandhu that he was loitering in Eastcote High Street. PCSO Sandhu, along with PC Nagle and PC Chauhan, immediately attended the area, spotted him and gave chase. He was quickly captured and arrested, subsequently being charged with four counts of shoplifting and remanded in police custody to court. Good work between the local community and police.
We had a Festive Open Day in December at Ruislip Police Station. Over 300 children, along with their parents and grandparents attended to see Santa, get “arrested” and see some vintage police cars.
South Ruislip SNT are now undertaking regular joint patrols with the RAF Police, increasing uniform visibility on that ward.
Good work from PC Archer who spotted one of our well known offender’s vehicles in Northwood. He stopped the vehicle and recognised that the passenger was giving false details. PC Archer arrested the passenger for No Seatbelt. In custody his real identity was confirmed (a known offender), who was wanted for questioning in Hammersmith for aggravated vehicle taking.
The Eastcote SNT organised a “meet your local police team” for the 4th Eastcote Cubs at Ruislip Police Station. Sgt Charlston and her team ran the event which involved nearly 30 cubs engaged in a variety of activities, including being “arrested” and “locked up” and “driving” a police vehicle. The team were put under intense questioning with some very frank and challenging questions but survived to tell the tale.
Northwood SNT worked with the council’s housing officers to remove a rough sleeper from the garden of a vulnerable elderly resident. The man had decided to pitch a tent in her garden and she did not feel in a strong enough position to ask him to leave or forcibly remove him from her garden. The officers and council officials removed the man and the local police team continues to provide her with support so that she does not suffer any consequences and so that the male does not return.
PC McNeill and PC Butler were on patrol when a car failed to stop for them. The driver attempted to run away and assaulted both officers whilst they arrested him (no lasting injuries). A large quantity of drugs were found in the car and the driver was also disqualified from driving. Great stop.
I may have gone overboard and highlighted more of the “exciting” stuff this time which could make the north of the Borough look like a crime hotspot. It is not, and I can assure you there is a ton of community engagement going on as well as villains getting nicked.
Hillingdon Police has seen a increase in theft from motor vehicles over the last few days. This is just a quick bit of useful information to help you all protect your car/van from crime.
We are still seeing peoples cars stolen even ones with sophisticated entry/alarm system’s are being taken. A good investment is an old style Kroklock which goes around the steering wheel and one of the pedals. It is a good deterrent.
Please ensure that you leave nothing on display in your car at all, this is the safest way to stop your car being broken into. Coats and CD’s on display will tempt criminals to break into a car. The less that is on display the less there is to draw attention to your car.
For those of you who use vehicles to carry tools in, please ensure that again nothing is on display and nothing of value is left overnight in it.
Andy Lewis
Insp Hillingdon Borough OCU East Neighbourhoods Phone: 741879 Mobile: 07899066138 E-mail: Andy.C.Lewis@met.police.uk 755, Uxbridge Road, Hayes End, Hayes Middlesex UB4 8HU
“In the last week we have seen three violent incidents occur in the borough of Hillingdon which have resulted in two deaths.
All three incidents are currently under extensive investigation by specialists teams, who are working tirelessly to bring those who are involved to justice.
I must stress that all three crimes are isolated.
A murder investigation was launched on Friday 30 January, following the death of Emily Munemo at her home in Collingwood Road. Detectives from the Homicide and Serious Crime command have arrested and charged a man on suspicion of her murder. He currently remains in custody and will be brought before the courts imminently.
On the morning of Monday 2 February, officers were deployed to Ruislip where a man had committed three separate unprovoked attacks against two women and a man. Within minutes of receiving the initial 999 call, officers attended the scene and arrested the man who currently remains in custody awaiting mental health assessments. Fortunately, all those injured avoided serious injury and have since received the appropriate medical attention. They will also continue to receive support from my team as this investigation progresses.
On Tuesday 3 February, a second murder investigation was launched following the fatal shooting of Redwan El-Ghaidouni outside his home in Vine Lane. Detectives from the Homicide and Serious Crime command continue to work on this fast moving investigation to identify the perpetrator(s) in this rare and shocking crime, which is believed to have been a targeted act and in no way random.
Clearly no form of violence has any place in Hillingdon. We will not rest until we make every effort to make this borough the most hostile environment for anyone intent on committing any level of violence.
At present police officers are conducting continued high visibility patrols across the borough of Hillingdon to provide reassurance and a visible presence in support of the community. Crucially we are listening to, and acting on any concerns which may come to light.
We are in continual liaison with our partners and community members to establish any opportunities to strengthen our long-term commitment to tackling serious violence.
Protecting our community remains our top priority and we will not rest until we deliver highest level of policing in our borough.
As ever, we continue to encourage those who live and work in Hillingdon to speak to our policing teams. Your voice could ultimately become a powerful tool in the prevention and detection of crime.
If you would like to speak to us about an issue or concern, or have any information regarding this week’s incidents, please contact police by dialling 101, or your local policing team via MPSHillingdon Twitter. All 23 teams can be found via www.Met.police.uk
Detective Chief Superintendent Nick Downing
Hillingdon Borough Commander
At the quarterly meeting Rob was busy helping with the gentleman who was taken ill. He was keen that his email was made available should anyone wished to have informed Rob of any matters which you wanted to draw to his attention.
Last month, I asked for anyone who was interested in volunteering with the police to drop me a line. So far, I have had 9 people contact me which is really good. Many thanks.
Designated Sergeants:
After letting you have the contact details for your Dedicated Ward Officers in last month’s circular, it is now time to let you have contact details for your Sergeants. As before, I would encourage you to contact them if you need their help. With these details you should now have contact details for me, your sergeant and your Ward Officer. Please make use of them:
Cavendish and Manor Wards – Sgt Jonno Shard (jonathan.shard@met.police.uk)
Eastcote & East Ruislip and West Ruislip – Sgt Eleanor Charlston (eleanor.charlston@met.police.uk)
Harefield and Ickenham – Sgt Ali Fagg (alastair.fagg@met.police.uk)
Northwood and Northwood Hills – Sgt Alison Fanton (alison.fanton@met.police.uk)
South Ruislip – Sgt Chris Kerr (chris.f.kerr@met.police.uk)
Confidence and Satisfaction
We regularly look at how the police are performing for confidence and satisfaction. The figures do have a lag in them before we are told the results but I have been disappointed with how poorly we do in some areas. The recent statistics, which cover October 2013 to September 2014 show that of those who were quizzed as part of the survey:
Only 8% knew what their local police team’s priorities were.
Only 20% had received information about their local police team.
Only 38% had heard about their local police team.
Those numbers need to be massively improved and I would ask for your help in achieving that. Please forward these e-mails to anyone who you feel may benefit from them. The more people who read about what we are doing, the more satisfied (hopefully) they will be. To find out what your local police team’s priorities are please go to http://content.met.police.uk/Page/TeamFinder?scope_id=1257246764018
To improve confidence in local policing, I also attend Residents Association meetings, Ward Panel meetings and Neighbourhood Watch meetings. If you run any of these groups and have yet to see me, please let me know so I can attend. I hope face to face contact with your local inspector will help you get direct answers to the questions you have.
Motor Vehicle crime prevention
Villains are now gaining access to cars by using electronic disabling devices. Our crime prevention advice is to purchase an old fashioned crooklock and use it. Simple but effective.
Police have discovered an iPod nano attached to a cash machine being used as a spy camera to steal PINs from unsuspecting members of the public.
Thieves had taken the small iPod, which is an old version that is no longer sold, and used its built-in camera to spy on the cash machine’s keypad. It had been crudely shrouded in a small plastic box and attached to the cash machine with sticky tape.
It also included a small plastic piece attached over the slot where cards are inserted, which was designed to snare bank cards and stop them from being ejected.
This would allow fraudsters to return once the customer had given up and retrieve the card themselves, which they could then use because the camera captured the associated PIN.
Crafty devices designed to steal your credit card information are getting increasingly compact and difficult to spot, with the latest “razor thin” models able to slip totally out of sight inside the card slot.
Our latest from the Inspector Rob Bryan, direct from the email received. Please email the Inspector if you wish to receive this information directly :
Dear Reader,
I hope you have all had a pleasant Christmas and have an equally enjoyable New Year. Our Festive Open Day at Ruislip Police Station was a great success again this year with over 300 children and their families in attendance to see Santa and many other treats. Organising the open day is a labour of love undertaken by the volunteers who work at Ruislip Police Station. Without them it simply would not happen. One of our volunteers, Sandra, was rewarded for her hard work on this event by receiving the David Brough Community Safety Award. Very well done.
Whilst on the subject of volunteers, I wan to acknowledge the brilliant job they do opening the police stations at Ruislip and Northwood for additional hours above what the police do. But their numbers are dwindling which makes it harder to keep those front offices open. If you want to volunteer with the police, or know of anyone who does, please drop me an e-mail and I will ensure your details are passed on.
Designated Ward Officers:
I am often told that the bobby on the beat is rarely seen anymore. The Local Police Model which replaced the Safer Neighbourhoods Model a few years ago has reduced the number of officers on each ward. That is a fact that will not change. But it should not have completely wiped out our local visibility so it is a concern to me to hear that my officers are not seen all that often. I can assure you that our Borough Commander, Nick Downing, is keen for that visibility to exist and he ensures your Dedicated Ward Officers are not abstracted for other work. There have been a few changes of personnel recently so this is a good opportunity for me to let you know who your DWOs are:
2 PCs are currently sick or on light duties. Where that is the case I have put the PCSOs e-mail address above.
I encourage you all to e-mail your local DWO and let them know about local issues, or just let them know that it would be good to see them in your area. They do patrol and may be able to tell you when they were last in your area. Alternatively, your e-mail may prompt them into visiting your area.
I have been concerned about the “lag” in burglary stats that are presented on the monthly NHW newsletter. I am working with Hillingdon NHW to make these numbers a bit more relevant. Instead of presenting the last two months figures, I hope to be able to present the last thee or four weeks figures (prior to going to print). It is a work in progress so watch this space and please let me have your feedback once it is up and running.
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Please see below Inspector Rob Bryan’s police newsletter in full. We hope you find this of interest.
Dear reader,
After last month’s circular, I received a lot of positive feedback about how hard the local police officers and PCSOs are working. Thanks very much for that feedback. I will return to the theme of highlighting all their good work every few months. Today I will just mention PCSO Paul Brighton who covers West Ruislip ward. Because of his hard work and dedication (he is the one you see out on the pushbike all the time) he has won a Hillingdon Police Excellence Award. He will be awarded this by the Borough Commander later in the month. Well done Paul.
Last month I also raised a topic about doing my best to squash rumours that you often hear from a friend of a friend. I offered to look into any grapevine rumours and provide the facts. I received no requests all month. A cynical person might assume that gossip is more interesting than fact! But I will take it to mean there are no wild stories currently circulating that require a correction.
Crime figures:
There have been stories on the news recently about police under recording crimes so I thought you would like to know the facts as I see them.
Violence with injury (GBH, ABH and robbery) have seen a 20%+ increase across London and the UK. This is primarily due to a change in recording standards. In the past, if we were called to a pub fight and it was all quiet on our arrival, no crime was recorded. That was contrary to the National Crime Recording Standards and we have now corrected that error. From what I see, police in Hillingdon are extremely ethical in how crime is recorded. Stats from the London Ambulance Service and hospitals show a reduction in persons they see as a result of violence. Nevertheless we cannot just put this increase in violent crimes down to changes in the way we record crime – those acts of violence have always been there, just not recorded. I can reassure you that this issue has been gripped at the highest level and extra resources are being put into combating violence. The London-wide plan is called Operation Equinox and involves increased late night patrols in town centres, more licensing visits and test purchases and increased proactivity in arresting those who commit acts of violence.
Burglary has also seen an increase in the north of the Borough. At this time of year when the clocks change, opportunist burglars do strike. The spike we are seeing is bigger than previous spikes, but I also want to reassure you that it is not an epidemic. Ironically even with this spike, because of low numbers earlier in the year, Hillingdon may still see a decrease in burglaries compared to last year. Operation Bumblebee runs each year to combat this spike. In the north that includes cocooning (visiting addresses around a burglary to provide crime prevention and seek out leads), additional resources from the Borough Tasking Team and TSG and proactive targeting of suspected offenders. I would ask that you circulate the crime prevention advice below as widely as possible.
Crime Prevention advice:
A third of residential burglaries show no signs of forced entry suggesting either a door or windows were not properly secured. The following tips, if followed by everyone, would make it so much harder for burglars to operate in our area:
Don’t leave your keys within easy reach of doors, letterboxes or windows (the burglar can fish them out with a coat hanger).Close and lock all doors and windows. If you have multi-locking door handles, lift the handle, lock it with the key and remove it. Remember – LIFT – LOCK – REMOVE. Put the key in a safe place out of sight in case of fire (This should be done when you go to bed too, not just when you go out. Entry via improperly locked doors counts for a high proportion of our break-ins). Lock garages and sheds so garden tools and ladders can’t be used to break into your home and keep side gates locked. Use timer switches linked to lights and a radio so it appears that someone is at home (that extra hour of darkness since the clocks changed makes it very easy to spot which house is empty). Install a visible intruder alarm system – burglars don’t want to be seen or heard. Keep side and rear boundaries high to restrict access and front boundaries low to remove hiding places. Photograph and mark valuables and sentimental items with your postcode and house number. Register items with serial numbers at: www.immobilise.com
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Inpsector Rob Bryan who visited our last SRRA Quarterly meeting on 22nd October has written a newsletter which details what the police have achieved locally recently. The email interesting reading and we wanted to share this with you….
Dear reader,
Welcome to my second monthly circular. I e-mail this circular to about 100 people and many of those forward it to NHWs and Residents Association so I believe there is a wide readership. Any feedback or comments greatly appreciated.
I have now had time to settle in to my new role and there are two things I want to cover in this circular:
Publicising good work:
I have been taken aback by how busy and enthusiastic some of my officers are. There is such a wide range of interaction between the local officers and the community which goes unnoticed and I wanted to take this opportunity to showcase just some of it. I have asked my sergeants to write about the good things their teams are doing.
PC Dave Butler attended the Ruislip Manor Synagogue for a VIP Visit from the Chief Rabbi from South East England. PC Butler met with the local Jewish Community, reassured them with a visible police presence and spoke with community elders regarding issues surrounding security and a safer community. Over 200 people attended the event and this was professionally managed and policed with only PC Butler and PCSO Jo Witt. The Rabbi was most grateful and impressed with the professionalism shown by both officers
Local officers helped to run a Jail & Bail Event at Ruislip Police Station. This was a charity event to raise money for the Michael Sobell Hospice in Mount Vernon. The fundraisers were “arrested” by PC Janine McCormack, before being brought into custody and having their fingerprints taken by PCSO Paul Brighton. The “prisoners” were then locked in one of the cells and could only get released once they had raised £1000 each for the Hospice. Thankfully the officers were able to release all of the “prisoners” and over £8000 was raised for a very worthy cause.
PC Rebecca Lord and PCSO Witt spent a morning at Breakspear School. Firstly with the ‘walking bus’ and then talking to all classes in Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 as part of community engagement.
PCSO Paul Brighton and PCSO Gemma Robinson helped the local community with “the big tidy up” on Eastcote and West Ruislip wards. The Hill Lane Crew and the River Pinn Volunteers led the clean up of the streets in Eastcote and Ruislip, with Gemma and Paul on hand to provide a visible and accessible presence at this well attended event. Paul was particularly proud of the “Big Tidy Selfie” that has made it’s way onto several twitter and facebook sites!
PC Allan Webster and PCSO Jo Witt attended the 1st Troop South Ruislip Brownies evening at St Mary’s Church The Fairway Ruislip and gave a presentation on personal protection and burglary protection as part of the scout’s tasking in obtaining their Badges for Crime and Personal Protection badges. The evening consisted of ‘Stranger danger’, Protecting your home and valuables whilst out and about on their normal daytime routine. The evening was well attended and informative for those that attended.
Sgt Eleanor Charlston and her team carried out a joint operation with MHRA, a government medical regulations agency at an address in Eastcote. The warrant was executed at the address and 30,000-35,000 prohibited tablets were found and seized during the search. The suspect returned to the address while it was being searched and was detained and interviewed. The suspect has been charged with the sale and supply of an unlicensed drug. Further investigation is being carried out into the suspect’s finances, with the aim of seizing monetary proceeds from the suspect’s illegal activity.
A problem family was evicted from an address in Ruislip after 9 months of evidence gathering By PC Dave Butler.
The new North High Visibility Team (HVPT) have made a number of excellent arrests. On their first shift they arrested a man for possession of heroin and crack cocaine. He tried to swallow the drugs but their quick action ensured he could not swallow the evidence. A few days later they were arresting a suspected cannabis dealer. His money and his drugs were seized.
Sgt Charlston’s team secured the arrest of a male who was wanted in connection to a linked series of thefts and drive outs from across the north of the Borough. This was a complex and lengthy investigation with extensive CCTV trawls and witness enquiries. The suspect went to great lengths to avoid capture by disguising and distorting his registration plate. The male was charged with three theft related offences with further charges to come.
A prolific offender was charged with motor vehicle interference. A good job by DS Glyn Jones and PC Lindsey Beverley from my local investigations team. Once charged and remanded to court, DS Jones ensured he attended the magistrate court to oppose the bail hearing. This lead to the man changing his plea to guilty and getting an immediate 3 month custodial sentence.
A warrant was executed under the Dangerous Dogs Act at an address in Northwood. The dog had been terrorising the residents for some time and the owners had become unable to control it. This resulted in the dog causing a serious injury to one of their elderly neighbours in a vicious and unprovoked attack. PC Dave Bell secured the warrant and with the assistance of PC Peter Kalinowski, PC Bill Tucker and a dog unit, the dog was seized and taken to the kennels for assessment. The owners are currently under investigation for offences under the Dangerous Dog Act.
The North HVPT continue to seize every illegally ridden moped and motor bike they can.
Excellent work by officers on West Ruislip SNT in putting a stop to prolonged ASB and criminal damage in and around the open space on Tweeddale Grove. Working with the council and the ASB team over the last 6 months, Sgt Eleanor Charlston and PCSO Paul Brighton secured funding for CCTV, signage and other crime prevention initiatives. The local councillor sent Sgt Eleanor Charlston and PCSO Paul Brighton a personal letter of thanks, praising their hard work and perseverance. There have been no more reports of ASB and the team received a big thank you from residents in the area.
These really are just a snapshot, with many other stories not making the cut. Alongside these are our longer term initiatives which are ongoing and aimed at targeting illegal motorbikes in Harefield and drivers who insist on speeding or using their phone whilst driving. As you can see, there is a lot of work going into enforcement as well as our community engagement work.
I myself have also attended many meetings with NWH members, Residents Associations, Ward Panels and Councillors with loads more in the diary. My aim is to be a recognisable face in the community so if you have a public meeting you would like me to attend please let me know.
I know we have a long way to go to improve confidence and satisfaction, but it is also right to thank the officers for their continued efforts during changing times.
You heard it on the grapevine:
The second topic I would like to cover is how to deal with stories that travel on the grapevine, and occasionally become something more than what they started as. I am often asked about a particular incident or event, and the person asking usually has details or a version of events that is helpful to the investigation and which I can pass on to the right officer to deal. On other occasions, the version I am presented with has gained momentum and just needs a correction or some added detail to help reduce the fear of crime.
So I would like to use this forum as a means to address stories you hear on the grapevine. I propose that if you hear a story you would like some clarity on that you e-mail the details to me. For example:
Q “I hear there is a group of Eastern European men actively targeting old people using cash machines in Joel Street”.
A “There were two offences close together in location and time. No further offences have occurred. The North HVPT has been tasked with increased patrols in the area”
Q “There is a spate of shopliftings taking place in Boots and other pharmacies in Northwood. What are the police doing about it?”
A “A dedicated officer has been tasked with investigating all the offences that have occurred in Boots and other local pharmacies. Officers have spoken to staff in Boots and confirmed they are having CCTV installed and are changing the lay-out of the store to discourage bulk thefts. I have e-mailed local residents groups and as a result a witness has contacted me and provided further information about CCTV images of the thief. The investigation is progressing, thanks to local help. Further good news – a gang who were targeting pharmacies in Eastocte have been arrested and charged”.
I will e-mail you individually about the issue you raised and also highlight those concerns and replies in the following month’s circular. Let’s see how it works, if no one contacts me then I shall leave it and try something else instead.
Yours,
Inspector Rob Bryan
North Cluster
Hillingdon Borough
8robert.bryan@met.pnn.police.uk + Ruislip Police Station, The Oaks, HA4 7LE
The website of the South Ruilsip Residents Association
